BOND, Mrs. Elizabeth Powell

Elizabeth Powell Bond: A Woman of the Century
Elizabeth and her brother Aaron.
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Portrait of Mrs. Bond
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Description

Elizabeth Powell Bond was born to Catherine Macy Powell and Townsend Powell on January 25th, 1841, in Clinton, New York.  She had an older brother named Aaron. When Elizabeth was four years old, the family moved to Ghent, New York where she grew up.

She attended the State Normal School in Albany, then began her teaching career in Mamaroneck, New York.  Next, Elizabeth became a gymnastics instructor at Vassar College. From there, she moved to Florence, Massachusetts, and met the lawyer Henry Herrick Bond.  . They married and became parents to two sons, Edwin Powell Bond, who was born in 1874, and Herrick Tyler Bond, who was born in 1878, but died in infancy.

Elizabeth spent the majority of her life teaching young children, as well as using her home to teach some of her pupils who were struggling in school.  Since they were interested in sharing local news and events, Elizabeth and her husband edited “The Northampton Journal.”

Bond was an educator and social activist who fought for women's rights, as well as for the rights of African Americans.  In addition, Elizabeth devoted a lot of time and effort to activities related to her Quaker religion.  Her personal network included Louisa May Alcott, Ellen Tucker Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Fanny Garrison Villard, William Lloyd Garrison, and Dio Lewis.  Elizabeth was the first Dean of Women at Swarthmore College, a position she held from 1890 to 1906.  In 1901, Elizabeth wrote “Words by the Way,” which she dedicated to Swarthmore’s students.

During her later years, Elizabeth enjoyed gardening.  She passed away in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on March 29, 1926, and was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Florence, Massachusetts.

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This Item is primary topic of Item: Elizabeth Powell Bond and her brother Aaron Powell.
This Item knows Item: ALCOTT, Miss Louisa May