Lucy Audubon
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Lucy Bakewell Audubon ( Bakewell; January 18, 1787 – June 18, 1874) was a British-born
educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...
and philanthropist. She was the wife of
John James Audubon John James Audubon (born Jean-Jacques Rabin, April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a French-American Autodidacticism, self-trained artist, natural history, naturalist, and ornithology, ornithologist. His combined interests in art and ornitho ...
, an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. As the primary provider for her family, Lucy Bakewell Audubon is said to have financially supported the publication of John James Audubon's ''
The Birds of America ''The Birds of America'' is a book by naturalist and painter John James Audubon, containing illustrations of a wide variety of birds of the United States. It was first published as a series in sections between 1827 and 1838, in Edinburgh and L ...
'', his most recognized work. In addition to assisting her husband, Audubon established two successful schools and worked feverishly to teach her students.


Early life

Lucy Bakewell was born to William and Lucy (Green) Bakewell, an affluent couple living in
Derbyshire, England Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south an ...
. Her father championed her education, believing education to be "necessary to make a woman a better companion and helpmate to the man she married." He sent Bakewell to a nearby boarding school, but her education was most enhanced by her own study. In addition to having a personal tutor as well as a mother who cared deeply about her daughter's education, Bakewell educated herself by frequently visiting her father's immense library. Tradition posits that her father's political ideologies eventually pushed him to move his family to
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...
, in 1798 when Bakewell was 11. However, by 1803, they again relocated to
Norristown, Pennsylvania Norristown is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough with Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania), home rule status and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia metropolitan area. Located ...
, settling on a Fatland Ford, the family's plantation. Bakewell was able to maintain a close connection with her extended family, as evidenced by a number of letters between them. Such letters have been used to determine Bakewell's history.


Marriage and family

It was in Pennsylvania that Bakewell met John James Audubon. Their courtship began shortly after, with John James Audubon visiting Fatland Ford often. Bakewell even frequently tutored John James in English. In exchange, John James taught Bakewell to speak French. Their courtship, however, was not without strife. François Dacosta, for example, opposed their union and worked tirelessly to end their relationship. As years passed, Bakewell continued to guide John James, encouraging him to accept a position with her uncle, Benjamin. This venture proved unsuccessful, but Bakewell resolved to marry John James. Reluctantly, William Bakewell consented to the union. Lucy Bakewell and John James Audubon were married on April 5, 1808, in the parlor at Fatland Ford. Bakewell officially became Lucy Bakewell Audubon. The newlyweds relocated to
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...
. Audubon frequently assisted her husband by shopping for merchandise for his store, which ultimately closed. Before long, Audubon saw little of John James, as he spent much of his time in the woods. Still, their first son, Victor Gifford Audubon, was born in 1809. Their second child,
John Woodhouse Audubon John Woodhouse Audubon (November 30, 1812 – February 21, 1862) was an American painter who was the second son of the ornithologist and painter John James Audubon. Like his father, he was primarily a painter of wildlife, but he also did some po ...
, was born in 1812. She also had two daughters, Lucy and Rose, who died in infancy. Shortly after the birth of their son, the couple quickly lost financial stability. As John James scrambled to make ends meet for his family, Audubon met Elizabeth Speed Rankin, who asked her to tutor her children. She continued to do so as John James traveled. His absences were frequent and long, leaving Audubon in charge of the family. At one point, Audubon returned to Fatland Ford with her children.


Career

It is said that Audubon, despite being "brought up in comfort", eventually "became a woman of towering strength in adversity." To support her family, Audubon sought an advance on her inheritance, acquiring $8,000 from her father. John James's lengthy absences, of course, were felt by the family, but Audubon served as the ultimate "breadwinner". She worked tirelessly to support her husband's success while caring for her sons, tutoring, and serving as a
governess A governess is a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching; depending on terms of their employment, they may or ma ...
. Audubon was later hired to work for Jane Percy of Beech Woods, a plantation in what is now
West Feliciana Parish West Feliciana Parish (French: ''Paroisse de Feliciana Ouest''; Spanish: ''Parroquia de Feliciana Occidental'') is a civil parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 15,310. The parish seat is St. F ...
in
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. In this position, Audubon was recognized as "a woman of refinement and intelligence, a well-qualified and experienced teacher." She taught a number of students, all of which were from affluent areas in Feliciana. She was considered to be a "surrogate mother" for many of her students. John James is reported to have said: "My wife determined that my genius should prevail and that my final success as an
ornithologist Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...
should become triumphant." She even managed to save $3,000 to send John James to Europe, as he was working to publish his most famous piece. For his second publication, Audubon traveled with John James and arranged for the engraving and publication of ''
The Birds of America ''The Birds of America'' is a book by naturalist and painter John James Audubon, containing illustrations of a wide variety of birds of the United States. It was first published as a series in sections between 1827 and 1838, in Edinburgh and L ...
''. Her support of his endeavors ultimately granted John James the ability to grow the family's wealth. It is said that, without Lucy Bakewell Audubon, John James Audubon would not have been as successful—if at all. Audubon also helped create and publish ''The Life of John James Audubon: The Naturalist'', though it is largely credited to her husband. The original publication acknowledges that it was edited "by his
widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...
".


Death and legacy

When John James died, Audubon returned to work at 70. Much like their father, Audubon's two sons experienced failed business ventures. Audubon, then, needed to support her family, again stepping up in order to serve everyone but herself. In a letter to a friend, Audubon said: "It does seem to me as if we were a doomed family, for all of us are in pecuniary difficulties more or less." Twenty-three years after John James, Audubon died at 86. She had been staying with her brother, Will, in
Shelbyville, Kentucky Shelbyville is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city in and the county seat of Shelby County, Kentucky, Shelby County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 17,282 at the 2020 census. History Early history The town of Shelbyville ...
. Though her husband is well remembered, Lucy Bakewell Audubon is often considered to be a large part of his success. She became the subject of a 1982 publication, ''Lucy Audubon: A Biography'' by Carolyn DeLatte.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Audubon, Lucy Bakewell 1787 births 1874 deaths British emigrants to the United States American governesses American women biographers American biographers People from Derbyshire (before 1895) 19th-century American women writers Writers from New Haven, Connecticut People from Norristown, Pennsylvania Writers from Pennsylvania Writers from Louisville, Kentucky 19th-century American educators 19th-century American women educators