Harriet Vaughan Cheney
Harriet Vaughan Cheney was a notable figure in 19th-century American literature and Unitarianism, born in Brighton, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of John Foster, a distinguished Unitarian, and Hannah Webster Foster, who is recognized for writing one of the earliest American novels, *The Coquette*. Cheney actively contributed to the social and religious fabric of Montreal, particularly during politically tumultuous times, where she played a key role in supporting the local Unitarian church. Together with her sister, Elizabeth Lanesford Cushing, she edited *The Snow Drop*, Canada's first children's periodical, which aimed to impart moral values while reflecting a belief in the inherent goodness of children. Cheney authored several books, including *A Peep at the Pilgrims in Sixteen Hundred Thirty Six* and *The Rivals of Acadia*, and continued to write after the death of her husband, producing works like *Sketches from the Life of Christ*. She and her sister shared a home after their husbands' passing, and Cheney passed away in Montreal in 1889. Her contributions to literature and her advocacy for Unitarian principles have left a lasting influence.
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Subject Terms
Harriet Vaughan Cheney
Writer
- Born: September 9, 1796
- Birthplace: Brighton, Massachusetts
- Died: May 14, 1889
- Place of death: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Biography
Harriet Vaughan Cheney was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, to John Foster, a prominent Unitarian, and Hannah Webster Foster, who wrote The Coquette, one of the earliest known American novels. She and her sisters played significant roles in the social and religious life of Montreal. Cheney was dedicated to Unitarianism, and was central to efforts to hold together the Montreal church at times of political crisis.
Cheney edited Canada’s first periodical for children, The Snow Drop, with her sister, Elizabeth Lanesford Cushing. While The Snow Drop was directed toward giving moral instruction for children, the journal reflected Cheney’s Unitarian position that children are naturally good, and not in need of extensive proscriptions as they grow up. No stories that appeared in the Snow Drop were signed. However, two long series featured in the periodical, “Conversations on History” and “Stories from the History of Canada,” are probably her work.
Of the books Cheney published, A Peep at the Pilgrims in Sixteen Hundred Thirty Six appeared in 1824; The Rivals of Acadia appeared in 1827. In the years surrounding her husband’s death, Cheney published Sketches from the Life of Christ in 1844, and Confessions of an Early Martyr in 1846. Cheney and her sister Elizabeth Lanesford Cushing moved in together after their husbands died. Cheney died in Montreal in 1889.