Louisa Caroline Tuthill facts for kids

Louisa Caroline Tuthill (born Huggins; July 6, 1799 – June 1, 1879) was a very successful American author in the 1800s. She wrote many books for children and young adults. She also wrote the first history of architecture published in the United States. This book was called History of Architecture from the Earliest Times (1848).

Louisa Tuthill wrote anonymously for magazines. Some of her well-known books include James Somers, the Pilgrim's Son (1827), Mary's Visit to Boston (1829), and Calisthenics (1831). She also wrote I will be a Lady (1845) and I will be a Gentleman (1846). She helped create The Juvenile Library for Boys and Girls. Many of her books were also published in England.

Early Life and Education

Louisa Caroline Huggins was born on July 6, 1799. Her birthplace was New Haven, Connecticut. Her parents were Ebenezer and Mary Huggins. Her family was among the first settlers of New Haven. One of her ancestors was Theophilus Eaton, who was the first Governor of the New Haven Colony.

Louisa went to excellent schools. She studied in New Haven and Litchfield, Connecticut. The schools for young ladies in these towns were very good. The New Haven school offered studies similar to Yale College. Louisa was the youngest child of a wealthy merchant. This meant she had great chances for education. She also spent time with smart and cultured people.

Her Writing Career

In 1817, Louisa married Cornelius Tuthill. He was a lawyer from Newburgh, New York. After they married, they lived in New Haven. Cornelius and Louisa both loved books and writing. Their home became a meeting place for many writers. Some of these writers later became famous.

Louisa loved to write from a young age. She wrote essays, plays, stories, and poems secretly. She burned most of these writings before she got married. She didn't want to be known as a "literary woman." However, her husband, Cornelius, encouraged her to keep writing. She wrote regularly for a magazine called The Microscope for two years.

Cornelius Tuthill died in 1825. He was only 29 years old. Louisa was left with four children. Writing became a comfort for her. She wrote often for magazines, but always without her name. She didn't care about being famous as an author. She also wrote several small books between 1827 and 1839. These were published anonymously. Some of these books were used in Sunday school libraries.

In 1839, Tuthill moved to Hartford, Connecticut. She wanted to be with her son, Charles Henry Tuthill. He was studying law there. That same year, her name first appeared on a book. It was a reading book for young ladies. The book was called Young Ladies' Reader. It used examples from famous English and American authors. This book was very popular and had many editions.

After this success, she started publishing more openly. She also published The Young Lady’s Home that year. This book had tales and essays. It aimed to help young ladies after they left school. It showed her strong imagination and wide reading. The book was reprinted many times.

Books for Young Readers

Her next books were a series for boys and girls. These became her most popular works. They were small books, about 150 pages each. Some titles include:

• I will be a Gentleman (1844) - This book had 20 editions.
• I will be a Lady (1844) - This book also had 20 editions.
• Onward, right Onward (1845) - This book had 10 editions.
• Boarding School Girl (1845) - This book had 6 editions.
• Anything for Sport (1846) - This book had 8 editions.
• A Strike for Freedom, or, Law and Order (1850) - This book had 3 editions in its first year.

These books had a charming style and ideas. They were loved by children. While writing these, she also wrote for older readers. In 1846, she published a story called My Wife. It was about fashionable life. It gave good advice to young people about marriage.

Interest in Arts and Architecture

Louisa Tuthill loved the fine arts. She had many chances to study them. She especially studied architecture. She did this for fun and to teach her children. She used the library of Ithiel Town, a famous architect. Her studies led to her book History of Architecture in 1848.

In the same year, she edited The Mirror of Life. This was a beautiful annual book. She wrote several parts of it herself.

In 1843, she moved to Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts. In 1847, she moved to Philadelphia. Her book The Nursery Book came out in 1849. This book was not for children. It gave advice to young mothers about raising babies. It was written as letters between a young mother and an experienced aunt. The book covered many topics about child care.

Tuthill also worked on a series called Success in Life. This series had six books. Each book showed how to succeed in a certain job. They used examples from many people's lives. The titles included:

• The Merchant (1849)
• The Lawyer (1850)
• The Mechanic (1850)
• The Artist
• The Farmer
• The Physician

Later Life

From 1851, Louisa Tuthill lived in Princeton, New Jersey. She passed away on June 1, 1879. She was buried in Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven.

Selected Works

• Young Ladies' Reader
• The Young Lady’s Home
• I will be a Gentleman, 1844
• I will be a Lady, 1844
• Onward, right Onward, 1845
• Boarding School Girl
• Anything for Sport, 1846
• My Wife, 1846
• My Little Geography, by Mrs. L. C. Tuthill, 1847
• History of Architecture, 1848
• The Mirror of Life, 1848
• The Nursery Book, 1849
• A Strike for Freedom, or, Law and Order, 1850
• The true and the beautiful in nature, art, morals, and religion, selected from the works of John Ruskin, A.M., with a notice of the author, by Mrs. L. C. Tuthill., 1860
• Precious thoughts; moral and religius. Gathered from the works of John Ruskin, A.M., by Mrs. L. C. Tuthill, 1875
• Pearls for young ladies. From the later works of John Ruskin, LL.D. Including letters and advice on education, dress, marriage, influence, work, rights, etc. Collected and arranged by Mrs. Louisa C. Tuthill., 1878

Success in Life series

• The Merchant, 1849
• The Lawyer, 1850
• The Mechanic, 1850
• The Artist
• The Farmer
• The Physician