Ann Eliza Bleecker
Ann Eliza Bleecker was a notable American writer and letter writer born in 1752 in New York City. She came from a prosperous merchant family and married John J. Bleecker at the young age of seventeen, after which she moved to rural Tomhanick, New York. Bleecker's life was marked by tragedy, particularly during the American Revolution when she and her family fled to Albany, resulting in the deaths of her infant daughter and her mother along the journey. The loss continued when her husband was kidnapped by British soldiers, leading to additional trauma for Bleecker, who suffered a miscarriage during this distressing period. Although her literary contributions were not published during her lifetime, her daughter later released her letters, which were featured in *The New York Magazine* in the early 1790s. Ann Eliza Bleecker's posthumous collection, *The Posthumous Works of Ann Eliza Bleecker in Both Prose and Verse*, was published in 1793, alongside her novel, *The History of Maria Kittle*, released in 1797. Bleecker's writings reflect her experiences and the challenges faced during her time, marking her as an important figure in early American literature.
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Subject Terms
Ann Eliza Bleecker
Author
- Born: October 1, 1752
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: November 23, 1783
- Place of death: Tomhannoek, New York
Biography
Ann Eliza Bleecker was born in 1752, the daughter of a prosperous merchant, and raised in New York City. She married John J. Bleecker at age seventeen and moved with him to rural Tomhanick, New York. At this point, she began her prolific letter correspondence with family and friends.
In 1777, during the American Revolution, Bleecker, her husband, mother, and two small daughters were forced to flee from their home to Albany, New York. During their journey on foot, Bleecker’s infant daughter died of dysentery. Bleecker’s mother also died on the journey. Bleecker’s sister accompanied the remainder of her family on the journey back from Albany to Tomhanick, but she died before reaching her destination. The series of tragedies continued four years later when John J. Bleecker was kidnapped by British soldiers. Traumatized, Ann Eliza Bleecker suffered a miscarriage. Her husband was eventually released.
Bleecker’s letters and novel were not published during her lifetime. Her daughter, Margarette Faugéres, released the letters and they were first published in The New York Magazine in 1791 and 1792. Bleecker’s writings, including twenty- three letters, were published in 1793 as The Posthumous Works of Ann Eliza Bleecker in Both Prose and Verse. A novel, The History of Maria Kittle, was released in 1797.