Lidian Jackson Emerson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lidian Jackson Emerson
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Lidian Emerson with Edward Waldo Emerson
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| Born |
Lydia Jackson
September 20, 1802 |
| Died | November 13, 1892 (aged 90) |
| Resting place | Concord, Massachusetts |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Waldo Emerson Ellen Emerson Edith Emerson Forbes Edward Waldo Emerson |
Lidian Jackson Emerson (born Lydia Jackson; September 20, 1802 – November 13, 1892) was the second wife of Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was a famous American writer, speaker, and a leader of the Transcendentalism movement in the 1800s. Lidian was the mother of their four children.
She was a very smart woman who cared deeply about many important issues of her time. She spoke out against slavery and fought for the rights of women and Native Americans. She also cared about animal welfare. Lidian often encouraged her famous husband to speak up for these causes too.
Contents
Her Life Story
Growing Up
Lydia Jackson was born on September 20, 1802. She was the fifth child of Charles and Lucy Jackson. Her childhood was quite difficult. By the time she was 16, both her parents and two of her siblings had passed away. Lydia then went to live with other family members.
At 19, she became very sick with scarlet fever. This illness was thought to be the reason for her poor health throughout her life. She often had stomach problems and found it hard to eat, which made her very thin.
Marriage to Ralph Waldo Emerson
In 1834, Lydia Jackson heard Ralph Waldo Emerson give a lecture in her hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts. She was so inspired by his words that she felt uplifted. She later met him at a social gathering and they talked.
Lydia believed in signs and had two dreams where she saw herself married to Emerson, even though they had only met once. Soon after, Emerson sent her a letter asking her to marry him. Lydia was 32 and happy living a quiet life, tending her garden and chickens. But she accepted his proposal.
Lydia and Ralph Waldo Emerson were married on September 14, 1835. Their wedding took place in the parlor of her family home in Plymouth. This house is now known as the Edward Winslow House. It is also the main office for The Mayflower Society.
The newlyweds moved to Concord, Massachusetts, and settled into a large white house they called "Bush." Lidian often welcomed many guests to their home for dinner and overnight stays.
Ralph Waldo Emerson started calling his wife "Lidian" instead of Lydia. Some people think he did this to avoid her name being mispronounced. Lidian, however, always called her husband "Mr. Emerson." This showed a common way of speaking in New England back then. Her tombstone in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery also has "Lidian" on it.
Being a Mother
Lidian often felt unwell, and her pregnancies made her even more tired. It was hard for her to eat properly. Despite this, the Emersons had four children.
Their first child, Waldo, was born on October 30, 1836. Sadly, he died from scarlet fever when he was just five years old. Lidian was heartbroken and never fully recovered from losing him.
Their oldest daughter, Ellen Tucker Emerson, was born on February 24, 1839. Lidian suggested naming her after Ralph Waldo Emerson's first wife. Ellen never married and helped her father a lot with his work. She also wrote a book about her mother's life.
Edith Emerson was born on November 22, 1841. She married William Hathaway Forbes and had eight children. She lived to be 87 years old.
Edward Waldo Emerson was born on July 10, 1844. He became a doctor. He lived to be 85, outliving most of his own children.
Friendships and Home Life
Lidian Emerson became good friends with Henry David Thoreau. He lived with the Emersons for a while. He helped around the house and guided the Emerson children. When Ralph Waldo Emerson traveled in 1847, Thoreau wrote to him saying, "Lidian and I make very good housekeepers. She is a very dear sister to me."
Thoreau also helped Lidian with her garden. He made sure the chickens didn't ruin her plants by suggesting she put little shoes on them!
Her Final Years
In November 1892, Lidian's daughter Ellen noticed her mother was breathing heavily. Ellen read to her mother from her father's letters. Lidian fell asleep.
Lidian Emerson passed away on November 13, 1892. She had lived more than ten years longer than her husband. She was buried next to him in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, in a section called Author's Ridge.
Her Beliefs
Lidian Emerson had strong beliefs, especially about religion. She grew up with very strict religious teachings. While her husband, Ralph Waldo Emerson, had more modern ideas, Lidian often stuck to her traditional views.
One family member once said that Lidian was "among us, but not of us." This meant she was part of the family but had her own unique way of thinking. Her daughter Ellen explained that Lidian always felt her true home was Plymouth. She never fully joined in with the life and new ideas of Concord.
Her Importance
Later in life, a friend named Frank Sanborn described Mrs. Emerson as a "stately, devoted, independent person." He said she looked like a kind leader of a religious community, focused on her garden, her causes, and welcoming guests.
Ellen Emerson, in her book about her mother, wrote that many people praised Lidian as time went on. Some even said that Ralph Waldo Emerson might have been a different person without Lidian as his wife. They believed she was "quite as wonderful as he."
