Helena Wells
Helena Wells, born around 1760 in Charleston, South Carolina, to Scottish immigrant parents, emerged as a notable figure in literature and education during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Her father, Robert Wells, was a prominent bookbinder and printer, which fostered an environment of learning and intellectual curiosity. The family relocated to England during the American Revolution due to Robert's Loyalist views, and after the war, they faced financial challenges when their colonial properties were confiscated. To support her family, Wells and her sister established a boarding school for young women, which they successfully operated for a decade.
Wells began her literary career with the publication of her novel, *The Step-Mother*, in 1798, which garnered critical acclaim and was recognized as the best novel of the year by Historical Magazine. Most of her writings addressed themes of morality and the societal roles of women, including her 1799 nonfiction work *Letters on Subjects of Importance to the Happiness of Young Females*, aimed at guiding young women in moral conduct. After marrying in 1801, Wells published one more book, advocating for educational institutions for women in need. As her family responsibilities grew, she eventually stepped away from writing, passing away in 1824. Wells's contributions highlight the challenges and aspirations of women in her time, emphasizing the importance of education and moral guidance.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Helena Wells
Writer
- Born: c. 1760
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Died: July 6, 1824
Biography
Helena Wells was born around 1760 in Charleston, South Carolina, to Scottish immigrant parents. Her father, Robert Wells, was a bookbinder and the printer of the South-Carolina and American General Gazette. Wells enjoyed a privileged childhood. Her father, a cultured man, encouraged his children to learn. Wells excelled in her studies and developed a talent for writing at an early age.
Robert Wells was an outspoken Loyalist, and during the American Revolution he relocated his family to England. The Wells prospered financially in England until the American colonies succeeded in earning their independence. After the revolution, much of Robert Wells’s colonial properties were confiscated. The loss of substantial income from these properties led to financial hardship. In order to help support her family, Helena Wells, in partnership with her sister, Griselda, opened a boarding school for young women.
Running a boarding school was difficult, but Wells and her sister succeeded in keeping the institution open for ten years, earning a meager living. During her years running the school, Wells supplemented her income through writing. In 1798, she published her first work, The Step-Mother. This novel received good reviews and established Wells’s literary career. Historical Magazine named The Step- Mother the best novel of the year.
Wells focused most of her written works on the subjects of morality and the role of women in eighteenth century society. In 1799, Wells published a nonfiction work titled Letters on Subjects of Importance to the Happiness of Young Females. The book was a collection of twelve letters addressed to her former pupils, providing instructions on moral behavior and cautioning against character flaws such as laziness, vanity, excessive emotion, and snobbery toward servants.
In 1801, Wells married and began raising a family of four children. After her marriage, Wells produced only one more book, Thoughts and Remarks on Establishing an Institution, for the Support and Education of Unportioned Respectable Females (1809). The book advocated for the establishment of institutions to provide for women without financial means. It also criticized what Wells perceived as a defective educational system that did not adequately prepare women for economic hardships. In her later years, Wells gave up writing in order to tend to the needs of her family. She died in 1824.