Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/912

Rh academy. In 1843 the Hutchinson family visited New York City, and the harmony of their voices took that city by storm. The Hutchinsons were imbued with a strong love for liberty, and soon joined heart and hand with the abolitionists, and in their concerts sang ringing songs of freedom. These singers were all gifted as song writers and musical composers. In 1845 they visited England, finding warm welcome among such friends as William and Mary Howitt, Douglas Gerald, Charles Dickens, Harriet Martineau, Hartley Coleridge, Mrs. Tom Hood, Eliza Cook, Samuel Rogers, Mrs. Norton, George Thompson and John Bright. Charles Dickens honored them with an evening reception in his home. After one year in Great Britain the family returned to America. On February 28, 1849, Abby Hutchinson became the wife of Ludlow Patton, a banker of New York City, and after her marriage she sang with her brothers only on special occasions. After Mr. Patton's retirement from active business in 1873, they spent several years in travel abroad, during which time Mrs. Patton was a frequent contributor to the American newspapers. She composed music for several poems, among which the best known are "Kind Words Can Never Die," and Alfred Tennyson's "Ring Out Wild Bells." Mrs. Patton was always actively interested in the education of women. Her death occurred in New York City November 25, 1892.

Is a native of New Hampshire, and was the daughter of Professor Sanborn, who occupied the chair of Latin and English literature, at Dartmouth College, for nearly fifty years. Miss Sanborn is a descendant of Captain Ebenezer Webster, the eminent Revolutionary hero, and grand-niece of Daniel Webster. Her literary talents were developed by her father, who privately instructed her in the regular college course, and at eleven years of age she was a contributor to the Well-Spring, and at seventeen supported herself by her pen. She became an instructor in elocution at the Packer Institute at Brooklyn, and for five years filled the chair of English literature at Smith College. Miss Sanborn was the originator of Current Event classes in many of the literary clubs, and now so common in every city of the United States in the form of Curent Topics classes. Among her best-known works are "Adopting an Abandoned Farm." and "Abandoning an Adopted Farm," "Witty Records" of her original ideas regarding farming, which she put into practice upon an abandoned farm which she purchased near Boston. Some of her other books are "Home Pictures of English Poets," "A Truthful Woman in Southern California," "Vanity and Insanity; Shadows of Genius," "Purple and Gold," "Grandmother's Garden," and "My Literary Zoo." She has been instrumental in gathering and publishing a valuable historical work on New Hampshire. Few women are so versatile and have reached superiority in so many lines of work as has Miss Sanborn. She is teacher, reviewer, compiler, essayist, lecturer, author, and farmer, and is famous for her cooking and housekeeping.

Was born February 22, 1838, in New Rochelle, New York. Her maiden name was Margaret Elizabeth Munson. In 1858 she married George Sangster.