The following is from an article that was recently published in my daily Lancaster Newspaper. It was written by Mr. Jack Brubaker, known in Lancaster's Newspaper as "THE SCRIBBLER." I love his work and stories that he researches and writes about for the local newspaper. My story today was from one of Jack's recent "The Scribbler" columns and is about Lydia Hamilton Smith, a leading woman in American history. Perhaps you have never heard of her! Do not worry, for Jack will tell you all about her through his story today.
It was an ordinary day. Reading an article written by one of my favorite historians, Jack Brubaker. He had written a column for my local newspaper that he titled "Book places Lydia Hamilton Smith high in history!" He began with..... In the introduction to his new book, "An Uncommon Woman: The Life of Lydia Hamilton Smith," Mark Kelley highlights three reasons Smith "has earned a place among the leading women of American history." Reason #1 - She was a highly successful businessperson in the mid-19th century, when few women, white or Black, engaged in business. Reason #2 - Smith "is believed to have joined Thaddeus Stevens in the risky (and blatantly illegal) operation of an Underground Railroad station." Reason #3 - She nursed Stevens during his declining years, thus allowing him to complete his civil rights agenda. Well, the first and third of these reasons are supported by facts. Suggesting that those accomplishments make Smith one of the great women of American history is over the top, but solid evidence indicates she did what the author says she did. But, describing Smith as an Underground Railroad operator has no supporting documentation. The idea that she helped Stevens spirit freedom-seekers out of harm's way is speculative, as the author himself suggests. But, let's pause here and introduce the subjects of this biography to those who may not know much about them. "Subjects"-plural-because this is as much a biography of Stevens as it is of Smith. Without Stevens, there would be no reason to write a biography of Smith.
Thaddeus Stevens was a top-flight lawyer who represented Lancaster, Pennsylvania in Congress from 1849-1853 and 1859-1868. He led the radical Republican effort to gain rights for Black people following the Civil War. Lydia Hamilton Smith married a Black barber and musician named Jacob Smith in Gettysburg. They had two sons, the marriage broke up and Smith began working as Stevens's housekeeper in Lancaster in 1844. Eventually, Stevens and Smith moved into the house at 45-47 S. Queen Street that will soon become the core of the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for history and Democracy. Many historians believed that Stevens, who was white, and Smith, who was of mixed white and Black ancestry, were much more than employer and employee. Kelley leans toward an intimate relationship, periodically referring to Smith as Stevens's "wife." Much of the press vilified the pair. Kelley lauds Smith's "inspiring strength of character and profound resilience" in the face of an almost constant outpouring of racist venom, especially in Southern newspapers. There is considerable evidence that Smith constantly applied her domestic talents not only to the affairs of Stevens and his house, but also to the lives of his two nephews and her two sons. Examples of her generous nature to others outside the "family" are numerous. And, no doubt she was a faithful caregiver. Stevens's doctor said Smith prolonged the life of the sickly politician by "six or eight years." That gave him time to promote passage of the postwar constitutional amendments that abolished slavery in all states and made all males, Black and white, equal citizens under the law. It's unfortunate that Kelley, a retired journalist and professor of journalism who lives in Lancaster, chose to include in his book most of what he found in his research. Too much of this material seems irrelevant. It may serve to inflate Smith's resume, but it can make for tedious reading. Lydia Hamilton Smith may not be a "leading woman of American history," but her biography makes a useful companion to the story of an indisputably great American. Bravo! Mr. Thaddeus Stevens! My wife and I named our third child after you!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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