Lydia Huntley Sigourney (September 1, 1791 – June 10, 1865), Lydia Howard Huntley, was an American poet, author, and publisher during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
." She had a long career as a literary expert, publishing 52 books and in over 300 periodicals in her lifetime. While some of her works were signed anonymously, most of her works were published with just her married name Mrs. Sigourney. During the
lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor.
Biography
Early life
Mrs. Sigourney was born in
Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich ( ) is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Yantic River, Yantic, Shetucket River, Shetucket, and Quinebaug Rivers flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River f ...
, to Ezekiel Huntley and Zerviah Wentworth. Their only child, she was named after her father's first wife, Lydia Howard, who had died soon after marrying Ezekiel. In her autobiography ''Letters of Life'', Sigourney describes her relation to her parents, her decision to care for them, and her intent to avoid marriage because it would interfere with this relationship.
I had ... reason for avoiding serious advances. My mind was made up never to leave my parents. I felt that their absorbing love could never be repaid by the longest life-service, and that the responsibility of an only child, their sole prop and solace, would be strictly regarded by Him who readeth the heart. I had seen aged people surrounded by indifferent persons, who considered their care a burden, and could not endure the thought that my tender parents, who were without near relatives, should be thrown upon the fluctuating kindness of hirelings and strangers. To me, my father already seemed aged, though scarcely sixty; and I said, in my musing hours, Shall he, who never denied me aught, or spoke to me otherwise than in love-tones, stretch forth his hands in their weakness, "and find none to gird him"? (241).
Education and the school for young ladies
She was educated in
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
and
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
. With her friend Nancy Maria Hyde, Sigourney opened a school for young ladies in Norwich in 1811
["Lydia Sigourney" in ''Rhetorical Theory by Women before 1900: an Anthology''. Ed. Jane Donawerth. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. pp. 141-143.] The school was forced to close when Hyde became ill and was no longer able to teach. After the close of the Norwich school, she conducted a similar school in Hartford in the home of Daniel Wadsworth from 1814 until 1819.
Frances Manwaring Caulkins
Frances Manwaring Caulkins (April 26, 1795 – 1869) was a 19th-century American historian and genealogy, genealogist, the author of histories of New London, Connecticut and Norwich, Connecticut. Through her father, she was descendant of Hugh Caul ...
entered the Norwich school in September 1811, and remained a very warm friend and frequent correspondent with Sigourney thereafter.
When she was quite young, one of her neighbors, the Widow Lathrop, was friendly with her and encouraged her to develop. After her friend Madam Lathrop died, Lydia was sent to visit Mrs. Jeremiah Wadsworth, an acquaintance of the Widow Lathrop in
artford, Connecticut This visit put her in contact with
Daniel Wadsworth. Daniel helped her set up a school for girls, arranging for daughters of his friends to attend.
In 1815, he also helped her publish her first work, ''Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse'', arranging the publishing and performing the initial editing himself. Sigourney described Wadsworth as her "kind
patron
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
" and says that he "took upon himself the whole responsibility of contracting publishers, gathering subscriptions, and even correcting the proof sheets". She goes on to say that "He delighted in drawing a solitary mind from obscurity into a freer atmosphere and brighter sunbeam".
Marriage and married life
On June 16, 1819, she married Charles Sigourney, and after her marriage chose to write anonymously in "leisure" time. It was not until her parents were in dire need and her husband had lost some of his former affluence that she began to write as an occupation. When she was referred to as the probable author of the anonymous ''Letters to Young Ladies, By a Lady'' she admitted authorship and began to write openly as Mrs. Sigourney.
After her death,
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...
composed a poem for her memorial tablet:
:She sang alone, ere womanhood had known
::The gift of song which fills the air to-day:
:Tender and sweet, a music all her own
::May fitly linger where she knelt to pray.
Writings and criticism
The main themes of Sigourney's writing include
death
Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...
,
responsibility,
religion
Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...
— a strong belief in
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
and the
Christian faith
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
— and
work
Work may refer to:
* Work (human activity), intentional activity people perform to support themselves, others, or the community
** Manual labour, physical work done by humans
** House work, housework, or homemaking
** Working animal, an ani ...
. She often wrote
elegies
An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...
or poems for recently deceased neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. Some of her work exemplifies
Victorian-era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed th ...
death literature which views death as an escape to a better place, especially for children. There is also a strong flavor of patriotism with many poems linking to the formation of the Republic, and also a large number of poems based on a wide variety of historical subjects. She was particularly strong in her condemnation of slavery and the mistreatment of the indigenous Americans. Another aspect of her work is
humor
Humour ( Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids i ...
, frequently expressed in poems such as (1827) and (1834); this extends to her children's verse, for example, (1836). A contemporary critic called her work, infused with morals, "more like the dew than the lightning".
She enjoyed substantial popularity in her lifetime and earned several nicknames, including "the American
Hemans", the "Sweet Singer of Hartford", and the "female
Milton". Among other publications, she published in ''
The Token'' annual
gift book
Gift books, literary annuals, or keepsakes were 19th-century books, often lavishly decorated, which collected essays, short fiction, and poetry. They were primarily published in the autumn, in time for the holiday season and were intended to be g ...
, which held considerable influence over American literature. Her influences included the work of
Hannah More
Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...
,
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poetry, Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romanticism, Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Balla ...
, and
William Cowper
William Cowper ( ; – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and Anglican hymnwriter.
One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the Engli ...
.
Conduct literature
An advocate of
gendered spheres of society, Sigourney followed the example of
Hannah More
Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...
in creating a gendered rhetorical theory.
Sigourney wrote two
conduct book
Conduct books or conduct literature is a genre of books that attempt to educate the reader on social norms and ideals. As a genre, they began in either the High Middle Ages or the Late Middle Ages, although antecedents such as ''The Maxims of P ...
s. Her first, ''Letters to Young Ladies'', was published in 1833 and was printed more than twenty-five times. This book argued that women should practice
reading aloud, and also offered advice in letter writing and memorization. Sigourney promotes the importance of being agreeable throughout the book, and suggests ways to
take notes, along with advice on how to paraphrase what one has read. Sigourney recommends that girls should form
reading societies, and says that women should use their virtue to promote its appearance in others.
["Lydia Sigourney." Rhetorical Theory by Women before 1900: an Anthology. Ed. Jane Donawerth. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2002. pp. 141-43.]
In 1835, Lydia Sigourney published ''Zinzendorff, and Other Poems'' which featured a notable poem entitled "
Garafilia Mohalbi". American painter and miniaturist
Ann Hall
also featured the same subject in a miniature portrait which later became a popular engraving by E. Gallaudet an engraver from Boston. A mazurka was written by Carl Gartner entitled "Garafilia" and a ship also bore the same name. Garafilia Mohalbi had been captured at the age of seven by the Turks during the Greek War of Independence. She was kidnapped and sold as a slave to an American Merchant Joseph Langdon. He freed her and adopted her as his daughter. Garafilia was sent to go live with his family in Boston. Three years later Mohalbi died in 1830 at the age of 13 and became the subject of an artistic movement.
Sigourney's second conduct book, ''Letters to My Pupils'', was published in 1837. In this book, Sigourney focuses on pronunciation and conversation, and claims that women should train in enunciation even if they are not going to be speaking publicly. According to Sigourney, women's conversation should adhere to three rules: It should give pleasure; it should be instructive and it should be comforting. Sigourney also made a case for the value of silence at times, and argued that part of a woman's role is to be a good listener.
In both of these books, Sigourney advocates traditional 19th century gendered spheres of society, but she also suggests that women can influence society through their teaching, conversation, and letter writing. Like
Madeleine de Scudéry
Madeleine de Scudéry (; 15 November 1607 – 2 June 1701), often known simply as Mademoiselle de Scudéry (), was a French writer.
Her works demonstrate such comprehensive knowledge of ancient history that it is suspected she had received ins ...
, Sigourney stresses the importance of
being agreeable in conversation.
Legacy

According to ''Nineteenth Century Criticism'', "recently... there has been a renewed interest in Sigourney, particularly among feminist literary scholars. Critics such as
Annie Finch
Annie Finch (born October 31, 1956) is an American poet, critic, editor, translator, playwright, and performer and the editor of the first major anthology of literature about abortion. Her poetry is known for its often incantatory use of rhythm, ...
,
Nina Baym, and Dorothy Z. Baker have studied Sigourney's successful attempt to establish herself as a distinctly American and distinctly female poet." Nina Baym writes about Sigourney's construction of her own identity that through canny participation, it continued throughout her lifetime.
She was one of the most popular writers of her day, both in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, and was called 'the American
Hemans.' Her writings were characterized by fluency, grace and quiet reflection on nature, domestic and religious life, and philanthropic questions; but they were also often sentimental, didactic and commonplace. Some of her blank verse and pictures of nature suggest
Bryant. Among her most successful poems are 'Niagara' and 'Indian Names'. The latter was set to music by
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first seven albums before ...
for the 2010 album, ''
Leave Your Sleep''. Throughout her life, she took an active interest in philanthropic and educational work (
1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
Events January
* January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia.
* January 3
** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 Mom ...
). Some of her most popular work deals with
Native American issues and injustices. An early advocate for social reform in slavery and in internal migration, Sigourney felt obligated to use her position to help oppressed members of society. In her posthumously published autobiography, "Letters of Life", Sigourney stated that she wrote with the hope of 'being an instrument of good'.
Her influence was tremendous. She inspired many young women to attempt to become poets. According to Teed:
As a dedicated, successful writer, Lydia Sigourney violated essential elements of the very gender roles she celebrated. In the process, she offered young, aspiring women writers around the country an example of the possibilities of achieving both fame and economic reward (19).
Rev. E. B. Huntington wrote a small consideration of Mrs. Sigourney's life shortly after her death. He thought that her success came "because with
ergifts and
ersuccess, she had with singular kindliness of heart made her very life-work itself a constant source of blessing and joy to others. Her very goodness had made her great. Her genial goodwill had given her power. Her loving friendliness had made herself and her name everywhere a charm" (85). She wrote to inspire others, and Huntingdon felt that she had been successful.
She contributed more than two thousand articles to many (nearly 300) periodicals (
1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
Events January
* January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia.
* January 3
** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 Mom ...
) and some 67 books.
In 1844,
Sigourney, Iowa, the county seat of
Keokuk County, Iowa
Keokuk County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 10,033. The county seat is Sigourney, Iowa, Sigourney.
History
Keokuk County was formed in 1837. It ...
, was named in her honor. A large oil-paint portrait of Lydia still graces the foyer of the county courthouse.
Her poem , from her book ''Poems for the Sea'' (1850) is repeatedly quoted in the 2019 film
''The Lighthouse.''
Lyceum movement
Sigourney's commitment to education, writing, and charity was testimony to women's possibilities for self-betterment and, no doubt, a role model for women. When Sigourney gave up her anonymity for good, she became the most widely known "authoress" and "poetess" in America. As a result, during the
lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor, including the following examples:
* Sigourney Society (
Oxford, New York
Oxford is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The town contains a village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hu ...
) — founded at the Oxford Female Seminary,
* Sigourney Society (
Gaffney, South Carolina
Gaffney is a city in and the county seat, seat of Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States, in the upstate South Carolina, Upstate region of South Carolina. Gaffney is known as the "Peach Capital of South Carolina". The population was 12,53 ...
) — founded at Limestone Springs Female High School in 1848 — Lydia Sigourney was invited to become an honorary member; she accepted
* Sigourney Society (
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia, Spalding County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a po ...
) — founded at Griffin Female College, ca. 1848–1858
* Sigournian Literary Society (Pennsylvania) — founded as a society for young ladies at Glade Run Classical and Normal Academy (Glade Run Presbyterian Church) ca. 1851 — There is a Glade Run Presbyterian Church in Valencia, Pa., in Butler County, and a West Glade Run Presbyterian Church in Kittanning, Pa., in Armstrong County. The Glade Run Academy was founded in the Presbytery of Kittanning, and some sources reference Armstrong County.
* Sigournian Society (Centreville, Indiana) — founded at White Water College in 1856
* Sigournean Society (Moore's Hill, Indiana) — founded as a women's literary society at Moore's Hill Male and Female Collegiate Institute (later Moore's Hill College) in 1857 — The society, which was known for a time as the Sigs, ultimately became the Chi Epsilon chapter of
Chi Omega
Chi Omega (, also known as ChiO) is an American women's collegiate fraternity. It was established in 1895 at the University of Arkansas. Chi Omega has 181 active collegiate chapters and approximately 240 alumnae chapters. Since its founding in 18 ...
sorority; the college, which relocated to
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...
, in 1919, is now the
University of Evansville
The University of Evansville (UE) is a private university in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded in 1854 as Carnegie Hall of Moores Hill College, Moores Hill College. The university operates a satellite center, Harlaxton Manor, Harlaxton College ...
.
* Sigournean Society (
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
) — founded by Lydia Short as the first literary society for women at North Western Christian University (now
Butler University
Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...
) in March 1859 — The society published a newsletter, ''The Sigournean Casket''.
* Sigournean Society (
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...
) — founded at Greensboro Female College (now
Greensboro College) prior to 1863 — also known as Sigournian Society and Sigourney Society
* Sigournean Society (
Batavia, Illinois
Batavia () is a city mainly in Kane County, Illinois, Kane County and partly in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it was founded in 1833 and is the oldest city in Kan ...
) — founded at the
Batavia Institute
The Batavia Institute (currently recognized name) also known as Bellevue Place Sanitarium is a Registered Historic Place in Batavia, Illinois, US.
Batavia Institute
Batavia Institute, a private academy, was chartered on 12 February 1853 by 13 ...
, circa March 1866
* Young Ladies' Sigournean Band (
Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. Its population was 60,093 according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana metropolitan area, Kokomo metropol ...
) — flourished circa 1870s
* Sigournean Club (
Olathe, Kansas
Olathe ( ) is the county seat of Johnson County, Kansas, United States. It is the List of cities in Kansas#Highest population listing, fourth-most populous city in both the Kansas City metropolitan area and the state of Kansas, with a 2020 Uni ...
) — founded as a women's study club in 1890 and apparently survived until the 1970s — According to its constitution, "The object of this club shall be the attainment of a higher plane of life through broad culture, free discussion and mutual helpfulness."
* Sigournean Club (
Winfield, Kansas
Winfield is a city and county seat of Cowley County, Kansas, United States. It is situated along the Walnut River in South Central Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 11,777. It is home to Southwestern College.
...
) — organized as an afternoon study club in 1898 — The main purpose of the club was to further the study of art and literature.
* Sigournean Club (
Ottawa, Kansas
Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 United ...
) — founded prior to 1899 — This club contributed a complete library of 50 books to the Kansas Traveling Libraries in 1899.
["History of the Traveling Libraries." ''Eleventh Biennial Report of the Kansas Traveling Libraries Commission, 1918–1920.'' Topeka, 1920, p. 11.]
There doubtless were many other such societies that were founded during the lyceum movement and named in honor of Lydia Huntley Sigourney.
Selected works

*''Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse'' (1815)
*''Traits of the Aborigines of America'' (1822), a poem
*''A Sketch of Connecticut Forty Years Since'' (1824)
*''Poems'' (1827)
* ''Evening Readings In History'' (1833)
*''Letters to Young Ladies'' (1833), one of her best-known books
*''Sketches'' (1834)
*''Poems'' (1834)
*''Zinzendorff, and Other Poems'' (1836)
*''Poetry for Children'' (1836)
*''Olive Buds'' (1836)
*''Letters to Mothers'' (1838), republished in London
*''Pocahontas, and Other Poems'' (1841) New York.
* (1841) London. This edition for English readers differs considerably from that published in New York.
*''Pleasant Memories of Pleasant Lands'' (1842), descriptive of her trip to Europe in 1840
*''Scenes in My Native Land'' (1844)
*''Letters to My Pupils'' (1851)
*''Olive Leaves'' (1851)
*''The Faded Hope'' (1852) in memory of her only son, who died when he was nineteen years old
*''Past Meridian'' (1854)
*''The Daily Counsellor'' (1858), poems
*''Gleanings'' (1860), selections from her verse
*''The Man of Uz, and Other Poems'' (1862)
*''Letters of Life'' (1866), giving an account of her career
Popular culture
In 1837,
Henry Russell used Ms. Sigourney's poem for his song Washingtons Tomb.
References
*
*
Further reading
* Collin, Grace Lathrop. "Lydia Huntley Sigourney", a biography published in ''New England Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, New Series'', republished in Vol. 27. Boston: America Company, 1902 (available a
Internet Archive.
*
Haight, Gordon S. ''Mrs. Sigourney, The Sweet Singer of Hartford''. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1930.
* Hart, John Seely. ''The Female Prose Writers of America'' Philadelphia, 1857. A
Internet Archive
* Huntington, Rev. E.B. "Lydia H. Sigourney." ''Eminent women of the age, being narratives of the lives and deeds of the most prominent women of the present generation''. Hartford, Conn., 1868
Image at Internet Archive
* Kolker, Amy Sparks. ''The Circumscribed Path: Nineteenth-Century American Poetesses.'' Diss. University of Kansas, 1999. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1999. 9941646.
* Mattheu, Elizabeth-Christina. ''"Britannia's Poet! Graecia's Hero, Sleeps! ...": Philhellenic Poetry by Women, 1817–1852''. Diss. University of Athens, 2001. Ann Arbor: UMI, 2001. 3015876.
* Sigourney, Lydia Howard Huntley. ''Letters of Life''. New York, 1867
E-text at the Internet Archive
* Sigourney, Lydia. ''Lydia Sigourney: Selected Poetry and Prose''. Gary Kelly Ed. Peterborough:
Broadview Press
Broadview Press is an independent academic publisher that focuses on the humanities. Founded in 1985 by Don LePan, the company now employs over 30 people, has over 800 titles in print, and publishes approximately 35 titles each year. Broadview's ...
, 2008. .
* Teed, Melissa Ladd. Work, ''Domesticity and Localism: Women's Public Identity in Nineteenth-Century Hartford, Connecticut''. Diss. University of Connecticut, 1999. Ann Arbor: UMI, 2000. 9949129.
External links
Finch, Annie. "An Unsung Singer. "The Sentimental Poetess in the World: Metaphor and Subjectivity in Lydia Sigourney's Nature Poetry." Legacy, Fall 1987.* Griffin, George
"Lydia Sigourney." Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism Article on Sigourney*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sigourney, Lydia
1791 births
1865 deaths
People from Norwich, Connecticut
American women poets
American children's writers
American essayists
19th-century American memoirists
American travel writers
Writers from Connecticut
American women travel writers
19th-century American poets
American women memoirists
American women essayists
American women children's writers
19th-century American women writers