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Woman in the Wilderness: Letters of Harriet Wood Wheeler, Missonary Wife, 1832-1892
Nancy Bunge
Copyright Date: 2010
Published by: Michigan State University Press
https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb
Pages: 264
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb
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Book Info
Woman in the Wilderness
Book Description:

Woman in the Wildernessis a collection of letters written between 1832 and 1892 to and by an American woman, Harriet Wood Wheeler.Harriet's letters reveal her experiences with actors and institutions that played pivotal roles in the history of American women: the nascent literate female work force at the mills in Lowell, Massachusetts; the Ipswich Female Seminary, which was one of the first schools for women teachers; women's associations, especially in churches; and the close and enduring ties that characterized women's relationships in the late nineteenth century.Harriet's letters also provide an intimate view of the relationships between American Indians and Euro-Americans in the Great Lakes region, where she settled with her Christian missionary husband.

eISBN: 978-1-60917-203-9
Subjects: History, Religion
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Table of Contents
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  1. Front Matter
    Front Matter (pp. i-vi)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.1
  2. Table of Contents
    Table of Contents (pp. vii-viii)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.2
  3. Acknowledgments
    Acknowledgments (pp. ix-x)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.3
  4. Preface
    Preface (pp. xi-xvi)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.4
  5. The Wood/Wheeler Family
    The Wood/Wheeler Family (pp. xvii-2)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.5
  6. 1. Preparation for the Journey
    1. Preparation for the Journey (pp. 3-20)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.6

    Would you be interested to know something of the history of this school the past term? We have had 123 scholars, from the age of 12 to some 35 or 40 years. One minister’s widow, one of the children of the forest, from Mackinaw, Mich. Ter. Her father is an Englishman, her mother a native. She is very respectable, intelligent, accomplished, & pious. She is as much respected as any of our N. England ladies, & as worthy of respect.

    Not far from one half of the young ladies have been engaged in teaching; several of them have been preceptresses...

  7. 2. The Reality of Mission life
    2. The Reality of Mission life (pp. 21-52)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.7

    You can hardly imagine how much this poor people suffer in sickness. They have no comfortable houses, no so pillows to recline their aching heads upon and no palatable food. I have felt for some time that I could not rest satisfied until God should come by the influence of His Holy Spirit and convert this people. Pray, my dear parents, that we, who are sent here to be as light to this dark people, may be, indeed, bright and shining ones; that our hearts may be purified and sanctified, and made meet for this service.³

    Harriet again writes her...

  8. 3. Building a Home Alone in the Forest
    3. Building a Home Alone in the Forest (pp. 53-90)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.8

    It has been a long time since we have received a letter from you. The last one contained the melancholy intelligence of dear Mariah’s death. I felt very anxious to learn more of the particulars and also how brother N. [Newell] was supported under this heavy affliction. Dear brother, my heart bleeds for him. I presume he feels thatthisis hisfirst affliction. May it be sanctified to him. I would like to write him, but I do not think it would be prudent for me to attempt it at present, as my health has not been good for...

  9. 4. Standing with the Ojibwe against Removal and Smallpox
    4. Standing with the Ojibwe against Removal and Smallpox (pp. 91-112)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.9

    The little ones are in bed. Husband has gone to Bad River, and I have seated myself to commune with you for a few minutes. Do not attribute my long silence to forgetfulness, or ingratitude. Could you know how often every day and I might almost say every hour in the day my thoughts are with you, you would not think me chargeable with either; but the truth is whenever I think of writing a letter, there are so many things demanding immediate attention that writing is deferred to a more convenient season.

    So many important events have transpired since...

  10. 5. Struggling against Stickness
    5. Struggling against Stickness (pp. 113-148)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.10

    Our family are all well except mother. She has been very sick, but is better now. She walks the house and has been out to ride a few times.

    We have got another little brother he has got a good deal of long black hair and mother says that I must send some of it to you because it looks so much like yours. There are several houses in Odanah now. David Green has got a very pretty one whitewashed inside and out. We intend to have a boarding school here sometime and Mr. Stoddard has received orders from Government...

  11. [Illustrations]
    [Illustrations] (pp. None)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.11
  12. 6. Harriet’s Children
    6. Harriet’s Children (pp. 149-180)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.12

    I received your letter a few days since, and as you may well imagine, was very happy to hear from my dear sister. And so you are teaching school at La Pointe; I know you are enjoying yourself very much indeed. I trust you will have good success. I am so glad they have such excellent teachers at the boarding school.

    Oh dear Julia I wish you were here, if only for a little while. You would be perfectly charmed with Long Prairie, I know. It is the most lovely place. If it was only situated on the shores of...

  13. 7. Life Without a Mission
    7. Life Without a Mission (pp. 181-228)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.13

    We are pretty settled in a house about a mile from College North on the Janesville road. It is a large two story home 60 feet by 22 with a cellar under the whole of it. And also a barn, good cistern, a work house with six acres of good land. The whole is held at $2800 dollars which is thought to be very cheap. But I couldn’t see any way to purchase + so have a conditional promise to rent it till spring. This will give us a chance to look around. Our stuff came safely to hand—horses...

  14. Notes
    Notes (pp. 229-246)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.14
  15. Selected Bibliography
    Selected Bibliography (pp. 247-248)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.15
  16. Index
    Index (pp. 249-255)
    https://doi.org/10.14321/j.ctt7ztczb.16
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