Julia Louisa Dumont (October 1794 – January 2, 1857) was an American educator and writer of prose. Born in

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from part of the unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolution. Established ...

, she resided for 43 years at

Vevay, Indiana Vevay ( ) is a town located in Jefferson Township and the county seat of Switzerland County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,741 at the 2020 census. History The first settlers who arrived in 1802 were Swiss im ...

. She is remembered as the first

Hoosier Hoosier is the official demonym for the people of the U.S. state of Indiana. The origin of the term remains a matter of debate; however, "Hoosier" was in general use by the 1840s, having been popularized by Richmond resident John Finley's 1833 ...

to become known beyond the State through prose. In the group of writers and poets who flourished in the

Ohio Valley The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its mouth on the Mississippi River in Cairo, ...

in its early history, she was one of the chief figures. Her "Life Sketches from Common Paths: A Series of American Tales," published at

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1856, is considered exemplary of the day.

Early years and education

Julia L. Cory (or Corey), the earliest female writer in the West whose poems, tales and sketches were preserved, was the daughter of Ebenezer and Martha D. Corey. Her parents emigrated from

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

, with the

Ohio Company The Ohio Company, formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the settlement by Virginians of the Ohio Country (approximately the present U.S. state of Ohio) and to trade with the Native Ameri ...

, which settled at that place. She was born at

Waterford, Ohio Waterford is a census-designated place in central Waterford Township, Washington County, Ohio, United States. It is located on State Route 339 across the Muskingum River from the village of Beverly, slightly below where Wolf Creek meets t ...

, in October, 1794. Her parents returned to Rhode Island during her infancy, and while she was yet a baby, her father died. Her mother removed to Greenfield, New York, and married the second time. They then had their residence on the

Kayaderosseras Range The Kayaderosseras Creek, usually shortened to Kaydeross, is the largest river that lies completely within Saratoga County, New York State. It originates in the Kayaderosseras Range in the northern part of the county, passes through the towns of ...

, in Greenfield. She spent some time in the Milton Academy, in Saratoga county, where she excelled. In 1811, she taught a school in Greenfield, and in 1812 in Cambridge, New York.

Career

In August 1812, she was married John Dumont, who was a member of the Indiana Legislature in 1822-'23, and was afterward a candidate for the office of

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

, against David Wallace, and the following October they removed to Ohio. They moved to Vevay, Indiana in March 1814, and made it her home till death. Her husband being a lawyer, was, according to the custom of those times, away from home a lot, attending the courts of other counties. The care of the family fell upon her. As schools were scarce and poor, she instructed her own children herself. She opened a school, and thereafter, much of her life was spent in the school-room as a western pioneer teacher. Dumont was also a writer. She was a frequent contributor to the ''Literary Gazette'', published at Cincinnati. Several of the best poems she wrote were first printed in the ''Gazette'', among which are "Poverty," "The Pauper to the Rich Man," and "The Orphan Emigrant." In the years 1834, '35 and '36, she wrote frequently for the ''Cincinnati Mirror'', but chiefly in prose. She was awarded two prizes by the publishers of the ''Mirror'' for stories on Western themes. One of those stories, "Ashton Grey," with others, contributed to the ''Western Literary Journal'', and ''The Ladies' Repository'', are collected in a volume entitled "Life Sketches."

Personal life

A son, Ebenezer Dumont, was a general in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Three sons died young, followed by a daughter. Another son, who grew to manhood and was admitted to the bar, died early. After Dumont's health gave way, she went to the South to regain her former strength and activity, but died in Vevay from

consumption Consumption may refer to: * Eating *Resource consumption *Tuberculosis, an infectious disease, historically known as consumption * Consumer (food chain), receipt of energy by consuming other organisms * Consumption (economics), the purchasing of n ...

on 2 January 1857. A granddaughter, E. S. L. Thompson, was a writer of poetry and prose.

References

Attribution

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Bibliography

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dumont, Julia Louisa 1794 births 1857 deaths 19th-century American writers 19th-century American women writers 19th-century American educators People from Waterford, Ohio Educators from Ohio Educators from Indiana 19th-century American women educators