Life and writings of Amelia Bloomer

HER EARLY LIFE.

The early life of the subject of this Memoir was devoid of any striking incidents. Her parents were natives of the little State founded by Roger Williams, where both were born, passed their early years, and were married some time in the year 1806. Her father, Ananias Jenks, was a clothier by trade, and was a man of a great deal of force of character. The maiden name of her mother was Lucy Webb. She was a devoted Christian woman, and had enjoyed to the fullest extent the training of a New-England Puritan family of the last century. She was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church, and she aimed to bring up her children in its somewhat strict teachings. With her and her family the holy Sabbath commenced with the going down of the sun on Saturday evening, and ended with the setting of the sun on the following day. This was an old Puritan notion, and was very convenient for the boys and girls who wished to form acquaintances and spend pleasant hours together on the evening of the first day of the week. Ananias Jenks, the father of Amelia Jenks, removed to the state of New York with his wife in the early days of their married life, residing successively in the counties of Onondaga, Cortlandt, Wayne, and Seneca. To Ananias and Lucy Jenks several children were born, at least four daughters and two sons. One of the latter died in early childhood; but the other, Augustus, was spared until about his thirtieth year. He married, removed to the state of Michigan, where five children were born in his family, enlisted as a volunteer in one of the Michigan regiments in the Civil War, and lost his life at the great battle of Gettysburg. The four daughters were Adaline, Elvira, Amanda, and Amelia; Amelia being the youngest of the family, with perhaps the exception of Augustus, who may have been younger. All the children married: Adaline left children surviving her; Amanda, one only, a daughter; while none were born to either Elvira or Amelia.

The last named, Amelia, was born in the town of Homer, Cortlandt County, New York, on the 27th day of May, 1818. In some autobiographical notes left by her, we find the following in reference to her early years:

“My earliest recollections are of a pleasant home in Homer, Cortlandt County, New York. Here was I born, and here the first six years of my life were passed. But little of these early days can now be recalled after sixty years have been added to them, yet there are a few incidents that are so deeply impressed upon memory, that they seem but the occurrence of a week ago. First I recall the visit of some Indians to my father’s house, and the latter buying a large knife of them. The Indians, my father and the knife come before me now as though they were indeed a reality of the present. Again, a scene comes before the mind’s eye of my brother and myself looking from an upper window, and seeing some Indians knocking at the door of a small untenanted house opposite to us. My brother, who was a few years older than myself, called out ‘Come in.’ The Indians opened the door and stepped in, then out, and looked up and around sorely puzzled at hearing a voice, but seeing no one, while my brother and I laughed and danced behind the blind at the trick which we had played upon them. Several children were on their way to school. One little girl jumped upon the wheel of a wagon which stood in front of a house, intending to get in and ride to school. The horse became frightened while she stood on the wheel, and ran away, throwing her violently to the ground and injuring her severely. The mirth of childhood was turned to sadness, and we trudged on to school, after seeing her unconscious form carried into the house. I could not have been over four or five years old when these things happened, but they are deeply engraved on memory’s tablet.”

Amelia was carefully trained at home by her truly Christian mother, and from her she imbibed those high sentiments of honesty, truth, duty, fidelity and regard for the rights of others which actuated her during the whole course of her life. Her educational opportunities were limited to the district school of those early days. Then, it was commonly thought that about all a girl should be taught was to read and write, with a little grammar and less arithmetic. These essentials of a common-school education were fairly mastered by the little girl, and to such an extent that, when she arrived at about the age of seventeen years, she was employed as a teacher in one of the district schools at or near the village of Clyde, in Wayne County, New York. A single short term, however, was the whole extent of her life as a teacher. For the brief period of her engagement, we are told, she discharged her duties with much acceptance. Her kindness of heart, united with wonderful firmness and a strict regard for truth and right, qualities which distinguished her throughout her whole life, endeared her to the children who came under her care.

HER MARRIAGE.

School-teaching however soon ended; and shortly after, she became a member of the family of her sister Elvira, then recently married and residing in Waterloo, New York, to which place her father’s family also removed about the same time. Here the days passed along smoothly and quietly until about the year 1837, when she became an inmate in the family of Mr. Oren Chamberlain residing near Waterloo, as the governess and tutor of his three youngest children. This position she continued to fill with entire satisfaction for two or three years. The children all lived to years of maturity, and always manifested great affection in subsequent years for their former teacher. In this family, the life of Miss Jenks moved along quietly and evenly. She enjoyed fully its confidence and the love of her pupils. She formed new friendships and the circle of her acquaintances was widened. Among the latter, was a young man residing in Seneca Falls engaged in the study of law, while taking also a large interest in the political movements of that day. They met quite frequently, and soon strong ties of friendship were formed between them, and the friendship ripened as the months passed by into love. They became engaged, and finally were married at the residence of John Lowden in the village of Waterloo, New York, on the 15th day of April, 1840, by the Rev. Samuel H. Gridley, the Presbyterian clergyman of the village; and in subsequent years Mrs. Bloomer frequently alluded with much satisfaction to the fact that he omitted altogether the word “obey” in the marriage ceremony. Only a few friends were present at the marriage, but among them besides Mr. and Mrs. Lowden were A. E. Chamberlain, Miss Caroline Starks, and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Fuller, all of whom together with Mr. Lowden are still living at the time (March, 1895) of writing these lines.

At the time of this marriage Mr. Bloomer was twenty-four years of age, quite tall and slim, weighing about one hundred and fifty pounds, with gray eyes, a rather tall forehead, and long arms, and of bashful and reserved demeanor. His bride was much smaller, five feet four inches in height, and weighed about a hundred pounds. She had a well-formed head, bright, blue eyes bordering on black, auburn hair and an exceedingly pleasant and winning smile. Like her husband, she was reserved in manner, and very unwilling to force herself upon the notice of strangers, but when she once became acquainted with them she enjoyed their society most heartily. She was small in person and modest in demeanor, and standing beside her tall husband, at once attracted the attention and secured the confidence of her friends and associates. She was twenty-two years of age at the time of her marriage. Her husband, Dexter C. Bloomer, was of Quaker parentage, had a fairly good common-school and academic education, had spent several years in teaching school, commenced the study of law at the age of twenty, and at the time of his marriage was still a student and one of the proprietors and editors of the Seneca County Courier, a weekly newspaper printed in Seneca Falls, N. Y.

The day following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bloomer drove in a carriage to the residence of Mr. Isaac Fuller, in Seneca Falls, where rooms had been prepared for their reception. Mr. Fuller was Mr. Bloomer’s partner in the printing business, and both he and his excellent wife are still (in 1895) living in the same town, and have ever proved most dear and excellent friends of the young couple who on the 16th day of April, 1840, took up their residence with them.

Mr. Bloomer had very many friends in the town, and on the evening of his arrival with his bride they filled Mr. Fuller’s rooms to welcome the newly wedded couple to their new home and their new life. With them came many members of a fire company of which Mr. Bloomer was a member, accompanied by a band of music, and all went merry as a marriage bell. Refreshments were of course served, and among them a plentiful supply of wine, for in those days, this was the almost certain accompaniment of all social gatherings. All, or nearly all, partook of it; and just then occurred an incident which told most instructively as to the moral character and firmness of the young and happy bride. Glasses were filled with the sparkling beverage, and one of them was presented to her by the bridegroom himself, but she firmly yet pleasantly declined to accept it. “What,” he said with the greatest earnestness, “will you not drink a glass of wine with me on this joyful occasion? Surely it can do you no harm.” “No,” she smilingly yet firmly replied, “I cannot,—I must not.” A crowd of guests standing around could but admire her great self-denial and devotion to principles; and ever after, to the end of her days, she was the firm and consistent advocate of Temperance and the unceasing enemy of strong drink in all its varied forms.

TIPPECANOE AND TYLER, TOO!

The year 1840 was a memorable one in the history of this country. It witnessed the great “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too,” campaign, in which Gen. William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren were opposing candidates. The whole country went wild with political speech-making, songs, log-cabins, great gatherings of people and enormous processions of the opposing hosts. Mr. Bloomer was absorbed heart and soul in the contest. He was the editor of the only Whig paper in the village and county, and he was present at political caucuses, conventions and assemblages in all that region. His wife at first took little interest in the great hubbub raised over the land. In fact, her health was quite delicate that first summer of her married life. It is remembered distinctly now by the writer of these lines, that while he was on the 4th of July, 1840, delivering an address at a political celebration, she was at home prostrated with some form of intermittent fever. His address over, he hastened to her bedside; and soon after, having so far recovered as to leave her room, she was taken to Avon Springs, in western New York, where she regained her health so as to return to her boarding place early in August. But Mrs. Bloomer gradually became interested in the political turmoil so far as to attend political gatherings, visit the log-cabin which stood on one of the principal streets of the town, and assist in preparing badges and mottoes for the use of those who espoused the cause advocated by her husband.