Maria Mitchell In Her Own Words

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • February 20, 2024

1873. Feb. I found in Indianapolis a gushing hospitality which was very pleasant to receive if you did not accept all its offers. I was asked to spend a week in several different families. Then I found an interest in science and was amazed to find that they readily paid me $100 and asked me for another Lecture at the same price.


Maria would travel to Indianapolis, making what was likely a long and cold journey by train. She took one of her Vassar College students, Helen Marshall. While there, Maria would be able to visit with her brother, Francis and his wife, Ellen, who came from Chicago to spend a few days with her. Not as much is known about Frank as he was called. We have one image of him in the collection – likely from a fair given the background – or cutout – he is mugging for the camera in. Given the distance, I am sure many of the siblings did not see Frank as he lived the furthest from everyone. He may have been the connection for Maria to meet and become the chaperone for a young Prudence Swift whom Maria would travel with throughout the southern United States and for a time, in Europe, until Prudie, as she was known, was called home and Maria continued on in Europe. Prudie’s family lived in Chicago.


JNLF

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