Sophia Hume
Sophia Hume, born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1702, was the daughter of influential parents, including a prominent father and a well-known Quaker mother. Although she initially enjoyed a life of luxury, her mother’s shift towards a simpler Quaker lifestyle prompted Hume to confront her own values after her husband, Robert Hume, passed away in 1737. This personal loss spurred a significant transformation in her outlook, leading her to renounce her extravagant lifestyle and embrace Quaker principles by 1740. Following her conversion, she became an advocate for spiritual introspection, urging others to reflect on their lives and actions in relation to their faith. Hume’s writings, most notably "An Exhortation to the Inhabitants of the Province of South-Carolina," emphasized the importance of aligning one's conduct with religious beliefs. Throughout her life, she traveled between America and England, continuing to write and promote her ideas. In 1768, Hume settled permanently in London, where she lived until her death in 1774. Her legacy includes a body of work aimed at encouraging a more devout and reflective approach to spirituality within her communities.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Sophia Hume
- Born: 1702
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Died: January 26, 1774
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Sophia Hume was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1702. At the time of her birth, her father, Henry Wigington, was an important figure in the colony of South Carolina. Her mother was a relatively well-known Quaker. In her youth, Hume was exposed to a life of sophistication and decadence, living the life of an aristocrat for many years. In 1719, her mother gave up the high life and embraced her Quaker roots. While she tried to convert her daughter, Hume continued to live her extravagant life.
In 1721, Sophia married Robert Hume, an attorney and politician. The two started their family with two children and lived rather quietly. A few years later in 1737, Hume’s husband died, leaving her to question her own spirituality.
By 1740, Hume had given away or destroyed a majority of her possessions, as she felt that her extravagant lifestyle was perhaps one of the reasons she lost her husband. That year, she moved to London and embraced the simplicity and austerity of the Quaker life. A few years later, in 1747, Hume returned back home to Charleston, where she began to preach against the prevailing atmosphere of self-indulgence. Her beliefs led her to write An Exhortation to the Inhabitants of the Province of South-Carolina, to Bring Their Deeds to the Light of Christ, in Their Own Consciences, in Which Is Inserted, Some Account of the Author’s Experience in the Important Business of Religion, published in 1754. The work was a plea for the Quakers to examine their daily lives and how their actions reflected on the fate of their souls.
In the years to follow, Hume traveled between America and England. In 1752 Hume learned about a storm surge that hit Charleston, nearly destroying the town by raging flood waters. Hume saw this as a sign of God’s displeasure with the people of the city. The event inspired her to write An Epistle to the Inhabitants of South Carolina, which was published two years later in 1754. The work was a call to the people of South Carolina to reexamine their faith. It also continued to establish the ideas of her first work.
Hume continued her religious-based writing with Extracts from Divers Ancient Testimonies in 1756, A Caution to Such as Observe Days and Times in 1760, and A Short Appeal to Men and Women of Reason in 1765. She continued to write and travel between America and England. In 1768, she settled in London for good and died years later in 1774.