American Women! exhibit--Elizabeth Seton

Although born into a wealthy New York family, Elizabeth Bayley Seton experienced frequent tragedy. By the time she was 29 years old, she had suffered the deaths of her sister, both of her parents, and her beloved husband. By 1803, Seton was a poor widow with five small children and no means of support.

Religious faith would sustain her through these tragedies. Seton believed that God had a plan for her. Although she had been raised Episcopalian, she converted to Catholicism in 1805, an act that cut her off from her family. To support herself, she opened a school for girls, first in New York City and later in Baltimore.

But Seton believed that she had a more important calling. In 1809, she founded the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph and became the mother superior of the order. For the rest of her life, Mother Seton devoted herself to the education of Catholic children and is generally considered the founder of the parochial education movement. In 1976, she was canonized as the first Catholic saint born in America.

PORTRAIT of Elizabeth Bayley at age 18 or 19, copied from a small miniature
FAN that belonged to Elizabeth Seton
LOCKS of HAIR of Seton's children
LETTERS from Elizabeth to her husband, 1794
CRUCIFIX in Seton's room
PORTRAIT of Seton in a religious habit
-- On loan from the Daughters of Charity, Emmitsburg Province, Emmitsburg MD

ROSARY BEADS of Seton's
-- On loan from the Sisters of Charity of New York, Bronx NY

Continue the virtual tour of the entire exhibit or choose a time period from the exhibit:
	From Colony to Country, 1600-1800	From Jazz to War, 1920-1950
	From Growth to Civil War, 1800-1870	From Fifties to Feminism, 1950-1990
	From Prairie to Polls, 1870-1920	Into the 21st Century, 1990 onward

View an alphabetical list of all 106 women included in American Women! with links to photos and biographies for selected women
View a Thank You to over 100 lenders to Ameican Women!
Return to American Women! index page
Return to Hoover Library-Museum virtual exhibits page
Return to Hoover Library-Museum main index page