Harriet Bishop
Encyclopedia
Harriet Bishop was an American educator, writer, suffragist
, and temperance
activist. Born in Panton, Vermont
, she moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota
in 1847. There she started the first public school in the Minnesota Territory
, the first Sunday school
in the territory, was a founding member of temperance, suffrage and civic organizations, played a central role in establishing the First Baptist Church of Saint Paul
, and was an active promoter of her adopted state.
under the instruction of renowned educator Catherine Beecher of Boston, Massachusetts. She spent about the first decade of her career teaching in Essex, New York
.
Given the growing demand for teachers on the expanding frontier, and the limited number of opportunities in New England for young women to find teaching positions, the newly formed Board of National Popular Education in Cleveland, Ohio
developed a program that encouraged young women teachers to move to the western territories to found schools. When news came of an opportunity in the Minnesota Territory, Bishop was eager to pursue it as an exciting adventure. Of the protests and arguments her family and friends made against her decision, she later wrote that they "were to me as so many incentives for me to persist in my decision." Her inspiration for adventure was partly influenced by reading the memoirs of Baptist missionaries Harriet Newell
and Ann Judson during their missions in Burma.
The first school house, which she opened in a former blacksmith shop on 19 July 1847, was a "mud walled log hovel... covered with bark and chinked with mud" at what is now St. Peter Street and Kellogg Boulevard in the relatively isolated fur trading post of Saint Paul. Within less than a year, she organized the Saint Paul Circle of Industry to raise funds to build a new structure for the students. The new building also served as a church, meeting hall, and courtroom, and polling place. Of the seven students in her first class, only two were caucasian. She had to rely on a student who was fluent in French
, Dakota
, and English to translate for her classes (which she taught in English). To further aid in the education of Minnesota children, Bishop established the Minnesota Women's Seminary in Saint Paul in 1850.
Fitting with her deep religious faith and devotion, shortly after her arrival, she also founded first Sunday school
in Minnesota. Bishop is considered the de facto founder of the ecumenical church movement in Minnesota.
and women's suffrage
. She helped organize the Sons of Temperance and encouraged her students to pledge to abstain from alcohol. In 1867 she helped found the Ladies Christian Union and spearhead the construction of the Home to the Friendless, which is now Wilder Residence East. In 1877 She became the first organizer of the Minnesota Women's Christian Temperance Union, working to help form chapters all over the state. Bishop is also recognized as one of the founders of the Minnesota women's suffrage movement.
In the early 1870s Bishop was a defendant in a civil suit charging that she had made unauthorized land purchases on behalf of a New York land speculator. Shortly after this, in 1873, she went on a lecture circuit in California. She returned to Saint Paul in 1875 where she continued to work as a lecturer, writer and activist until her death on 8 August 1883. She is buried at Saint Paul's Oakland Cemetery.
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
, and temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
activist. Born in Panton, Vermont
Panton, Vermont
Panton is a town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. The population was 677 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.0 square miles , of which 15.5 square miles is land and 6.6 square miles is water...
, she moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
in 1847. There she started the first public school in the Minnesota Territory
Minnesota Territory
The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota.-History:...
, the first Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
in the territory, was a founding member of temperance, suffrage and civic organizations, played a central role in establishing the First Baptist Church of Saint Paul
First Baptist Church of Saint Paul
The First Baptist Church of St. Paul is an historic church building in Saint Paul, Minnesota. When it opened on May 31, 1875, it was the largest and most costly church in Saint Paul, described in the Pioneer Press as "the finest piece of architecture west of Chicago". It is listed on the National...
, and was an active promoter of her adopted state.
Education and Career
Bishop received her teacher training at at the Fort Edward Institute, and the New York State Normal School in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
under the instruction of renowned educator Catherine Beecher of Boston, Massachusetts. She spent about the first decade of her career teaching in Essex, New York
Essex, New York
Essex is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 713 at the 2000 census. The town is named after locations in England.The Town of Essex is on the eastern edge of the county...
.
Given the growing demand for teachers on the expanding frontier, and the limited number of opportunities in New England for young women to find teaching positions, the newly formed Board of National Popular Education in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
developed a program that encouraged young women teachers to move to the western territories to found schools. When news came of an opportunity in the Minnesota Territory, Bishop was eager to pursue it as an exciting adventure. Of the protests and arguments her family and friends made against her decision, she later wrote that they "were to me as so many incentives for me to persist in my decision." Her inspiration for adventure was partly influenced by reading the memoirs of Baptist missionaries Harriet Newell
Harriet Newell
Harriet Newell was born Harriet Atwood at Haverhill, Massachusetts in Oct 1793. She was part of the first wave of Christian missionaries to go overseas from the United States. She died less than a year into her journey and became a hero and role model for Christians during the Nineteenth Century...
and Ann Judson during their missions in Burma.
The first school house, which she opened in a former blacksmith shop on 19 July 1847, was a "mud walled log hovel... covered with bark and chinked with mud" at what is now St. Peter Street and Kellogg Boulevard in the relatively isolated fur trading post of Saint Paul. Within less than a year, she organized the Saint Paul Circle of Industry to raise funds to build a new structure for the students. The new building also served as a church, meeting hall, and courtroom, and polling place. Of the seven students in her first class, only two were caucasian. She had to rely on a student who was fluent in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Dakota
Dakota language
Dakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Sioux tribes. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lakota language.-Dialects:...
, and English to translate for her classes (which she taught in English). To further aid in the education of Minnesota children, Bishop established the Minnesota Women's Seminary in Saint Paul in 1850.
Fitting with her deep religious faith and devotion, shortly after her arrival, she also founded first Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
in Minnesota. Bishop is considered the de facto founder of the ecumenical church movement in Minnesota.
Activism
Bishop was actively involved in many public concerns, most notably the temperance movementTemperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
and women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
. She helped organize the Sons of Temperance and encouraged her students to pledge to abstain from alcohol. In 1867 she helped found the Ladies Christian Union and spearhead the construction of the Home to the Friendless, which is now Wilder Residence East. In 1877 She became the first organizer of the Minnesota Women's Christian Temperance Union, working to help form chapters all over the state. Bishop is also recognized as one of the founders of the Minnesota women's suffrage movement.
Personal life
While Bishop quickly established herself as a dynamic public force in the soon-to-be new state of Minnesota, there is little information about her private life. She was the third daughter of Putnam and Miranda Bishop of Panton, Vermont. She was engaged to marry a young Saint Paul lawyer who was younger than her, but the engagement was called off by the man's sister who believed the age difference between the two to be improper. In 1858 she married John McConkey, a widower with four children. This marriage lasted until 1867 when, having evidently been broken by experiences as a soldier in the First Minnesota Regiment the Civil War, McConkey had become an alcoholic. She successfully sued for divorce and petitioned to have her maiden name restored.In the early 1870s Bishop was a defendant in a civil suit charging that she had made unauthorized land purchases on behalf of a New York land speculator. Shortly after this, in 1873, she went on a lecture circuit in California. She returned to Saint Paul in 1875 where she continued to work as a lecturer, writer and activist until her death on 8 August 1883. She is buried at Saint Paul's Oakland Cemetery.
Partial list of works
- "Floral Home; or, First Years of Minnesota", published in New York, 1857
- "Dakota War Whoop, or Indian Massacres and War in Minnesota of 1862–63", published in 1863
- "Minnesota Then and Now", published in 1869