Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904

Variant names

Hide Profile

Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney (June 27, 1824 – November 19, 1904) was an American writer, reformer, and philanthropist.

She was born on Beacon Hill, Boston, June 27, 1824; and was educated in private schools in Boston. Cheney served as secretary of the School of Design for Women in Boston from 1851 till 1854. She married portrait artist Seth Wells Cheney on May 19, 1853. His ill-health limited his volume of work and after a winter trip abroad (1854-1855) he died in 1856. They had one child, Margaret.

Cheney's life was devoted to philosophic and literary research and work. She was one of the marked personalities of Boston in her day, prominent in reform movements. Naturally averse to personal publicity, she did not shun it where her name and word could add weight to the advocacy of a just cause. In the education and health of the community, she showed the most interest. She was a strenuous champion of the claims of African Americans to political and social justice. She advocated for religious toleration and the enfranchisement of women. She took an interest in social concerns such as the Freedman's Aid Society (secretary of the committee on aid for colored regiments and of the teachers' committee, 1863), Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association (vice president), New England Women's Club (vice president) and the New England Hospital for Women and Children (secretary, 1862). She lectured at the Concord School of Philosophy on the history of art, and wrote about art in several books and articles. She was an active member of the Margaret Fuller conversation class. She went south to visit the Freedmen's schools in 1866, 1868, and 1869. Cheney was one of the founders in 1862 of the New England Hospital for Women and Children, its secretary for twenty-seven years and president fifteen years, is numbered among the veterans of the forward movements in education, philanthropy, and reform of the nineteenth century. who happily still live to grace by their presence and help by their wise counsels the deliberative assemblies and budding activities of the twentieth century. She was the author of "Reminiscences."

From 1863, Cheney made her home in Jamaica Plain. Early interested in the work of the Freedmen's Aid Society (founded in 1861), she the secretary of the teachers' committee on the resignation of Hannah E. Stevenson. In 1865, she went to Readville and taught soldiers, and attended the convention of Freedmen's societies in New York City. Cheney made several visits to the South in the years directly following the close of the Civil War for the Union, the first time going with Abby May as a delegate to a convention in Baltimore. Unexpectedly called upon there to address a meeting composed largely of African Americans, she had her first experience in public speaking. During her absence on one of these Southern trips, a society was formed in Boston in 1867, of which she was appointed a director, and later Honorary President, and in which she continued to work — the Free Religious Association, "the freedom and inspiration of whose first meetings" she finds it "impossible to report."

Cheney died at Jamaica Plain, November 19, 1904, and was buried at East Cemetery, Manchester, Connecticut.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Blackwell family. Papers, 1784-1944 (bulk: 1832-1939) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter, 1895. Harold B. Lee Library
referencedIn New England Hospital for Women and Children. Records, 1792-1994 Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Books from the library of Amos Bronson Alcott, 1579-1893. Houghton Library
creatorOf Scrapbook, 1852-1873. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910. Papers, 1857-1961 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, 1834-1959 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter, 1879 Aug. 27, Bar Harbor [Me.] to Frank[lin B. Sanborn, n.p.] University of Michigan
referencedIn Papers of Mary Ware Dennett Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Additional papers, 1848-1915 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Papers, 1899. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1857-1961 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Brooks, Charlotte F. Papers, 1871-1908 (inclusive), 1871-1901 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Additional papers, 1845-1944. Houghton Library
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Papers of Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney [manuscript], 1894, n.d. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter, 1879 Jun. 26, Jam[aica] Plain [Mass.] to Frank[lin B. Sanborn, Concord, Mass.] University of Michigan
referencedIn Ralph Waldo Emerson letters from various correspondents, ca. 1814-1882. Houghton Library
referencedIn Howe family papers, 1819-1910. Houghton Library
referencedIn Sanborn, Franklin Benjamin, Papers, 1847—1915 American Antiquarian Society
referencedIn Dall, Caroline Wells Healey, 1822-1912. Papers, 1829-1956 (inclusive), 1837-1916 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter, 1879 Aug. 28, Magnolia [Mass.] to Frank[lin B. Sanborn, Concord, Mass.] University of Michigan
referencedIn Pickard-Whittier papers, 1815-1915. Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers, 1829-1956 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Saturday Morning Club (Boston, Mass.). Records, 1871-1983 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of John Graham Brooks, 1805-1938 (bulk 1900-1938) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf New England Freedmen's Aid Society. Records, 1862-1876. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Howe family. Papers of the Julia Ward Howe family, 1787-1984 (inclusive), 1787-1944 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of John Graham Brooks, 1805-1938 (bulk 1900-1938) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter : Jamaica Plain, to Mrs. Townsend, 1892 May 31. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
referencedIn Adams family. Papers, 1618-1976, undated. Iowa State University, Parks Library
referencedIn Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908. Additional papers, 1848-1915 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers of Mary Ware Dennett Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn May family. Papers of the May and Goddard families, 1766-1912 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Barrows family papers, 1861-1931. Houghton Library
referencedIn New England Hospital for Women and Children. Records, 1792-1994 Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Blackwell family. Papers, 1784-1944 (bulk: 1832-1939) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf New England Freedmen's Aid Society. Daily journal : manuscript, 1869-1871. Houghton Library
creatorOf Child, Lydia Maria, 1802-1880. To the contributers to the cause of suffrage for women. University of Washington. Libraries
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letters : Jamaica Plain, [Mass.] to S[arah] Maria Parsons, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1897 Nov. 12 and Dec. 9. Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square
referencedIn John Julius Dargan papers, 1785-1965 (bulk, 1877-1940). University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
referencedIn May family. Papers of the May and Goddard families, 1766-1912 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. Letter to Mrs. Waters [manuscript], 1890 February 22. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Garrison family papers, 1801-1948 (inclusive), 1840-1907 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Howe, Julia Ward, family. Papers, 1787-1984 (bulk 1787-1944) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn May family. Papers of the May and Goddard families, 1766-1912 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney papers relating to Seth Wells Cheney and John Cheney Archives of American Art
referencedIn Louisa May Alcott papers, 1849-1931. Houghton Library
referencedIn New England Women's Club. Records, 1843-1970 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Cheek, Jeannette Bailey, 1906-. Collection, 1857-1904 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn John Jay Chapman papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Mott family. Papers, 1840-1954. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Cheney, Ednah Dow Littlehale, 1824-1904. ALS : Jamaica Plain, Mass., to Geo[rge] Doane Rand, 1890 Feb. 4. Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square
referencedIn Saturday Morning Club (Boston, Mass.). Records, 1871-1983 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Alcott, Amos Bronson, 1799-1888. A. Bronson Alcott papers, 1843-1882. Concord Free Public Library, Special Collection
referencedIn Markham, Catherine. Letter 1900-1910, Brooklyn, Ny. [to] Edwin Markham, [Oakland, Calif]. / Anna Catherine Markham. Wagner College, Horrmann Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams family. family
associatedWith Alcott, A. Bronson (Amos Bronson), 1799-1888 person
associatedWith Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888 person
correspondedWith Barrows family. family
associatedWith Blackwell family. family
associatedWith BLACKWELL FAMILY family
associatedWith Brooks, Charlotte F. person
associatedWith Brooks, John Graham, 1846-1938. person
associatedWith CAROLINE WELLS HEALEY DALL, 1822-1912 person
correspondedWith Chapman, John Jay, 1862-1933 person
associatedWith Cheek, Jeannette Bailey, 1906- person
associatedWith Cheney, Jane, 1811-1885. person
associatedWith Cheney, Seth, 1810- person
associatedWith Child, Lydia Maria Francis, 1802-1880. person
associatedWith Concord School of Philosophy. corporateBody
associatedWith Dall, Caroline Wells Healey, 1822-1912. person
associatedWith Dargan, John Julius, 1848-1925. person
associatedWith Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947. person
associatedWith Dvořák, Antonín, 1841-1904. person
correspondedWith Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882 person
correspondedWith Garrison family. family
associatedWith HARRIET GOODHUE HOSMER, 1830-1908 person
associatedWith Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908. person
correspondedWith Howe family. family
correspondedWith Howe family. family
associatedWith Howe family. family
associatedWith Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910. person
associatedWith John Graham Brooks, 1846-1938 person
associatedWith JULIA (WARD) HOWE, 1819-1910 person
associatedWith JULIA (WARD) HOWE FAMILY family
associatedWith Lowell, John, 1824-1897, Miss, person
associatedWith Markham, Catherine. person
associatedWith MARY (WARE) DENNETT person
associatedWith May family. family
associatedWith May family. family
associatedWith MAY-GODDARD FAMILY family
associatedWith Mott family. family
associatedWith New England Freedmen's Aid Society. corporateBody
associatedWith New England Hospital for Women and Children corporateBody
associatedWith New England Women's Club. corporateBody
correspondedWith Parsons, Sarah Maria person
correspondedWith Rand, George Doane person
associatedWith Sanborn, F. B. (Franklin Benjamin), 1831-1917. person
associatedWith Saturday Morning Club (Boston, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Saturday Morning Club (Boston, Mass.) corporateBody
associatedWith Stone, Lucy, 1818-1893. person
correspondedWith Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Jamaica Plain MA US
Boston MA US
Subject
Suffrage
Authors, American
Women authors
Biographers
Composers
Suffragists
Transcendentalism
Women
Occupation
Philanthropists
Reformers
Writer
Activity

Person

Birth 1824-06-27

Death 1904-11-19

Female

Americans

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6290zzp

Ark ID: w6290zzp

SNAC ID: 85482296