Tag: WomensHistoryMonth

March, the month that transitions from winter to spring in the northern hemisphere, is often associated with the proverbial saying, “March roars in like a lion rolls out like a lamb.” This observation can also be applied to the lives of individuals. As March is celebrated as “Women’s History Month,” I decided to delve into the life of my grandmother’s grandmother, Ellen Ewing Sherman.

Understanding the lives of historical figures often requires examining the women who supported them. W.T. Sherman remains an enigma to historians, but a closer examination of his relationship with his foster sister, best friend, and eventual wife, Ellen Ewing, provides valuable insights into his life and personality. Fortunately, numerous letters and other missives between Ellen and Sherman have been preserved, along with early biographies that recount the recollections and shared experiences of their relatives, friends, and colleagues. Anna McAllister’s book, Ellen Ewing: Wife of General Sherman, was published in 1936, four decades after Ellen’s passing. It’s full of recollections of Ellen’s family and friends as well as a contextual description of their times even if thinly referenced. I’ve shared some of my thoughts from reading this book in a previous post which you can read here.

Recently, I participated in a conversation about women of Lancaster, Ohio, our ancestors who not only shaped their families but also their communities. Their impact continues to resonate in Fairfield County and beyond. This shouldn’t surprise us, yet we rarely reflect on how and why this is so. These women placed great emphasis on creating a welcoming home and raising children in a manner that allowed them to chart their own course in life. My two-times grandmother and others cultivated connections among relatives and friends by providing care and support. In essence, they focused on what strengthens communities within their towns and organizations, ultimately making the world a better place.

In addition to raising her six surviving children, Ellen dedicated time to other pursuits. She championed causes she cared about and found ways to express her concerns through advocacy and action. She initiated fundraising campaigns in response to Ireland’s Great Hunger, also known as the Potato Famine (1845-1852). When wounded Union soldiers required nursing care, she opened the family home in Lancaster. She also provided foster care for other children in need.

Ellen firmly believed that education was essential for active participation in the democratic process. She advocated for comprehensive education that encompassed practical skills such as agriculture, crafts, and commerce. This education would empower children and adults to contribute positively to their communities, which, in turn, fostered the nation’s growth. Consequently, she supported early initiatives by both public schools and religious institutions that established schools for formerly enslaved and Native American children.

Ellen had numerous contacts with religious and clergy figures of the 19th century. McAllister highlights her friendship with the renowned Belgian missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet SJ. Their correspondence reveals Ellen’s deep concern for the Native Americans who had recently been forcibly relocated onto reservations due to US expansion. She frequently drew her husband’s attention to the mistreatment of the Indians by white settlers and diligently worked through her family networks to urge Washington authorities to take action. However, her efforts appear to have been unsuccessful. While her husband shared her observations and sentiments, even as the head of the ‘army of the West,’ he was unable to prevent the rapid influx of settlers into territories still rightfully held by the various Indigenous peoples of the Northern Plains. Corrupt Washington bureaucrats and unscrupulous Indian agents only exacerbated the chaotic and violent events that followed. Nevertheless, Ellen did everything she could do. McAllister concisely summarizes her observation:
“She served as Father DeSmet’s special advocate with General Sherman, ensuring that his requests received attention and that her husband’s promises on behalf of the Indians were not forgotten. Regrettably, Father DeSmet’s wise and patient work among the hostile tribes was not followed by equally prudent and equitable measures from our government. Had it been, many decades of unnecessary and cruel warfare would have been averted.”

Ellen also relied on her intelligence and social connections to secure funding for various projects, including a trade school for women and relief programs for the poor, hungry, and destitute throughout the nation’s capital. At the time, there were no government-funded welfare programs to address dire needs of impoverished populations. These social support initiatives were the result of the dedication and commitment of religious congregations, faith-based organizations and individuals who supported them.

In the mid-19th century, a wave of anti-Catholic prejudice swept across the country, including in San Francisco, where her husband was residing at the time. Despite not sharing her religious beliefs, Ellen persuaded Sherman, who was a prominent figure in the city, to take action against the abuse by running for local political office. He kindly but firmly declined her request. Nevertheless, he managed to convince some of his contemporaries in the newly established Golden State of the absurdity of such prejudices. For much of California’s infrastructure, including roads, agriculture, and towns that they now benefit from, had been established by individuals and institutions associated with the despised religion.

Years later, in 1870, Ellen, now the renowned wife of a decorated war hero, residing in Washington D.C., took an extraordinary step to protest the Republic of Italy’s appropriation of lands that had previously belonged to the Vatican. She placed a crepe on the Vatican flag and hung it on the street view of their stately home, expressing her deep concern about this injustice. The Pope himself was considered a ‘prisoner of the Vatican,’ barred from leaving his residence. Ellen’s actions were a clear expression of her unwavering opinion and a testament to her courage and conviction.

At the time, the ambassador of Italy was in Washington D.C., and he remarked to Sherman that it was unbecoming for a ranking official at the War Department, such as the General, to allow his home to display such ‘papist sentiment.’ Sherman responded that while he lived there and maintained the house, it was Mrs. Sherman’s home, and he would not interfere.

Throughout her later years, Ellen continued to dedicate herself to her home, her children, and the communities she had helped establish or assist. In her childhood and youth, she possessed a lively and energetic disposition, despite her relatively weak physical constitution. However, by the time she and her husband had settled in New York, her energy began to decline rapidly. Within weeks, she succumbed to a cardiac arrest. Perhaps it could be said that Ellen, in the spirit of the month of March, arrived with great vigor and departed with gentle grace.