Biography on dorothea dix
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Dorothea Dix’s Early Life
Dorothea Dix was born in Hampden, Maine, in Her father Joseph was an itinerant Methodist preacher who was frequently away from home, and her mother suffered from debilitating bouts of depression. The oldest of three children, Dorothea ran her household and cared for her family members from a very young age. Joseph Dix, though a strict and volatile man prone to alcoholism and depression, taught his daughter to read and write, fostering Dorothea’s lifelong love of books and learning. Still, Dorothea’s early years were difficult, unpredictable and lonely.
Did you know? Louisa May Alcott was a nurse under Dorothea Dix during the Civil War. Alcott recalled that Dix was respected but not particularly well liked by her nurses, who tended to “steer clear” of her. Alcott wrote of her experiences in “Hospital Sketches,” years before achieving fame with the classic “Little Women.”
At 12 Dorothea moved to Boston, where her wealthy grandmother took her in and en
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Dorothea Dix
By Arlisha R. Norwood, NWHM Fellow |
Dorothea Dix was an early 19th century activist who drastically changed the medical field during her lifetime. She championed causes for both the mentally ill and indigenous populations. bygd doing this work, she openly challenged 19th century notions of reform and illness. Additionally, Dix helped recruit nurses for the Union army during the Civil War. As a result, she transformed the field of nursing.
Dix was born in Hampden, Maine in Little is known about her childhood. However, historians believe that her parents suffered from alcoholism and her father was abusive. Due to this abuse at a ung age she moved to Boston to stay with her grandmother. Dix attended school in Boston and tutored children. She became ill several times and was forced to stop teaching. During one of her bouts of illness her physicians suggested she spend time in europe. While visiting overseas, Dix met with groups of reformers interested in
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Dorothea Lynde Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix was born on April 4, , in Hampden, Maine. As a young child, Dorothea moved to Worchester, Massachusetts, to live with her extended family. Her mother was gravely ill and could not care for her, and her father frequently traveled across the country for his job. As a young teenager, she was sent to live with her grandmother in Boston, Massachusetts. At fourteen years old, Dix began to teach classes in a school with a developed curriculum focusing on ethics and natural sciences. By the age of nineteen, Dix opened her own school in Boston to wealthy and poorer students. From to , she wrote books for children focused on early education. After Dix’s health declined due to depression, she stopped teaching and worked as a governess. In Dix opened another school in Boston which operated until when she suffered a mental breakdown. She then decided to take a trip to Great Britain and met with social reformers who inspired her to help reform the conditions