Brief biographies of the figurines on display in ... - University Library

'
100
LUCY LARCOM
Lucy Larcom was born March 5, 1824, at Beverly,
Massachusetts, <strong>the</strong> next to <strong>the</strong> youngest <strong>of</strong> nine children.
Her childhood was spent here, till her fa<strong>the</strong>r, a retired
shipmaster, died in 1835, and left his family without resources.
They decided to move to Lowell where work
was more easily obtained. Lucy worked in a factory and
became one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most popular contributors to "The
Lowell Offering," a magazine conducted by <strong>the</strong> factory
girls, <strong>the</strong>reby winning <strong>the</strong> acquaintance and friendship
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poet, Whittier.
In 1846, she came to Illinois with her married sister,
to earn her living teaching school. She taught for some
time, and for three years was a student at Monticello
Seminary, at <strong>the</strong> same time teaching in <strong>the</strong> preparatory
department <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> school. She was Monticello 's poetess
and one <strong>of</strong> her most distinguished Alumnae. She graduated
in June, 1852, her essay being entitled "The Hearthstone
and <strong>the</strong> Universe. '
She returned to Beverly to teach, and later went to
Wheaton Seminary at Norton. In <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> her work
she found time to write some <strong>of</strong> her best known poems,
chief among which is "Hannah Binding Shoes."
In 1862, on account <strong>of</strong> ill health, she gave up teaching,
and devoted herself entirely to literature. She was
editor <strong>of</strong> "Our Young Folks" for some years. In 1868
she published her first collection <strong>of</strong> poems.
Miss Larcom 's health gradually failed, and she died
April 17, 1893, in Boston. She was buried in her native
town <strong>of</strong> Beverly.