Educator; born in
Berlin, Conn., Feb. 23, 1787; descended from
Thomas Hooker, founder of
Hartford, Conn.; began teaching at sixteen years of age, and was principal, sucessively, of different academies.
In 1809, at
Middlebury, Vt., she married
Dr. John Willard.
In 1821 she established her famous female seminary, at
Troy, N. Y., which she conducted until 1839.
She made a tour in
Europe in 1830, and published her
Journal and letters on her return, in 1833, and devoted her share of the profits of the work to the maintenance of a school for women in
Greece, which was founded mainly by her exertions.
Mrs. Willard wrote and published essays on
Female education; also several books, chiefly on history.
She also published two books on physiology, and a volume of poems.
Her ocean-hymn,
Rocked in the cradle of the deep, has always been very popular.
She died in
Troy, N. Y., April 15, 1870.