Frances Caulkins, New London historian

Carol W. Kimball

Women's History Month, March
Norwich and New London history books
Miss Frances Manwaring Caulkins, famed lady historian and author

Kim11-076

Scrapbook

8: Communication Artifact

Documentary Artifact

The Day

New London, CT

03/10/2008

Carol W. Kimball

March is Women's History Month, founded in 1980, and what better time to remember New London's famed lady historian, Miss Frances Manwaring Caulkins than when New London County Historical Society has released its reprint of her long out-of-print classic, History of New London, Connecticut: From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. It is said to be an indispensable resource. The reprint includes two photos of Miss Caulkins and an introduction by Dr. Nancy Hathaway Steenburg. Miss Caulkins was born in New London in 1795, never married, and spent much of her life struggling to support her mother. She taught school in New London and Norwich for 14 years, but in 1836 relocated to New York where she spent six years as a writer for the American Tract Society. Her half-brother, Henry P. Haven, achieved wealth and position as the head of a whaling firm and was then able to provide her with security. Being single and secure, she had time to write. Her Norwich history was published in 1845 and the New London opus followed seven years later.

Caulkins, Frances Manwaring (Miss)
Woodward, Walter
Steenburg, Nancy Hathaway (Dr.)
Sigourney, Lydia Huntley
Haven, Henry P.
Hempstead, Joshua

Women's History Month
New London's famed lady historian
New London County Historical Society
Histories of New London and Norwich
American Tract Society
books
New London Historian