Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis
Encyclopedia
Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis (August 7, 1813 – August 24, 1876) was an American
abolitionist, suffragist, and educator.
Paulina Kellogg was born in Bloomfield, New York
, to Captain Ebenezer Kellogg and Polly Saxton. The family moved to the frontier near Niagara Falls
in 1817. Both her parents died, and in 1820 she went to live with her orthodox Presbyterian aunt in Le Roy, New York
. She joined the church, although she found it hostile to outspoken women. She wanted to become a missionary
but was unable to as the church did not allow single women to become missionaries.
She was courted by suitor Francis Wright, a merchant from a prosperous family from Utica, New York
; they married in 1833. They had similar values and both resigned from their church to protest its pro-slavery stance and served on the executive committee of the Central New York Anti-Slavery Society. They also supported women's rights reforms, associating with feminists Susan B. Anthony
, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
and Ernestine Rose
. During this period Paulina Kellogg studied women's health. Francis Wright died in 1845; the couple had no children.
Following her husband's death she moved to New York
to study medicine
. In 1846 she gave lectures on anatomy
and physiology
to women only. She imported a medical mannequin
and toured the eastern United States teaching women and urging them to become physician
s. In 1849 she married Thomas Davis
, an Irish-American Democrat
from Providence, Rhode Island
; they adopted two daughters. In 1850 she started to focus her energies on women's rights. She stopped lecturing and helped to arrange and head the 1850 National Women's Rights Convention
in Worcester, Massachusetts
, delivering the keynote address. In 1853 she began editing the women's newspaper The Una
, which she edited till 1855 when she handed it over to Caroline Wells Healey Dall
.
In 1870 she arranged the twentieth anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement meeting, and published the proceeds as The History of the National Woman's Rights Movement.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
abolitionist, suffragist, and educator.
Paulina Kellogg was born in Bloomfield, New York
Bloomfield, New York
Bloomfield is a village in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 1,267 at the 2000 census.The Village of Bloomfield is in the Town of East Bloomfield and is west of Canandaigua, NY.- History :...
, to Captain Ebenezer Kellogg and Polly Saxton. The family moved to the frontier near Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
in 1817. Both her parents died, and in 1820 she went to live with her orthodox Presbyterian aunt in Le Roy, New York
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
. She joined the church, although she found it hostile to outspoken women. She wanted to become a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
but was unable to as the church did not allow single women to become missionaries.
She was courted by suitor Francis Wright, a merchant from a prosperous family from Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
; they married in 1833. They had similar values and both resigned from their church to protest its pro-slavery stance and served on the executive committee of the Central New York Anti-Slavery Society. They also supported women's rights reforms, associating with feminists Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
, Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early woman's movement...
and Ernestine Rose
Ernestine Rose
Ernestine Louise Rose was an atheist feminist, Individualist Feminist, and abolitionist. She was one of the major intellectual forces behind the women's rights movement in nineteenth-century America....
. During this period Paulina Kellogg studied women's health. Francis Wright died in 1845; the couple had no children.
Following her husband's death she moved to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to study medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. In 1846 she gave lectures on anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
and physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
to women only. She imported a medical mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
and toured the eastern United States teaching women and urging them to become physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s. In 1849 she married Thomas Davis
Thomas Davis (Rhode Island)
Thomas Davis was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.-Early life and education:Thomas Davis was born in Dublin, Ireland, where he attended private schools. His family emigrated to the United States and located in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1817...
, an Irish-American Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
from Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
; they adopted two daughters. In 1850 she started to focus her energies on women's rights. She stopped lecturing and helped to arrange and head the 1850 National Women's Rights Convention
National Women's Rights Convention
The National Women's Rights Convention was an annual series of meetings that increased the visibility of the early women's rights movement in the United States. First held in 1850 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the National Women's Rights Convention combined both male and female leadership, and...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, delivering the keynote address. In 1853 she began editing the women's newspaper The Una
The Una
The Una was the first feminist periodical that was owned, written, and edited entirely by women. Launched in Providence, Rhode Island by Paulina Wright Davis in February 1853, it eventually relocated to Boston, where it continued to be published until October 1855...
, which she edited till 1855 when she handed it over to Caroline Wells Healey Dall
Caroline Healey Dall
Caroline Wells Healey Dall was an American feminist writer, transcendentalist and reformer. She was affiliated with the National Women's Rights Convention, the New England Women's Club, and the American Social Science Association...
.
In 1870 she arranged the twentieth anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement meeting, and published the proceeds as The History of the National Woman's Rights Movement.