An Early Version of Uncle Tom's Cabin Comes Home
BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote much of her historic book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at Bowdoin College. Because of the lucky discovery of a potential homebuyer some of the first serialized versions of the novel may soon be added to the collections of the Bowdoin College library.
Stowe's husband was a professor at Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine, and Stowe wrote much of the book sitting in his study in Appleton Hall. Uncle Tom's Cabin has been credited with encouraging abolitionist sentiment and helping lead to the Civil War. Just before it was published as a book, the story was printed as a newspaper serial in The National Era, an abolitionist newspaper.
While exploring the attic of a home he was thinking about buying, Jack Conway, a Massachusetts author and historian, discovered well-preserved issues of the newspapers. (According to Conway, the house was once owned by Robert Treat Paine, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.)
Conway wanted the papers to be preserved and, because of Bowdoin's connection to the book, his first thought was of donating them to the college. Bowdoin has many Civil War veterans, including Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, among its alumni and the College has extensive collections relating to the Civil War. Bowdoin already owns some installments of the serialized version of Uncle Tom's Cabin, but owns nothing past December of 1851; the series ran through mid-1852. Richard Lindemann, head of special collections and archives at Bowdoin, has not yet seen the papers Conway found, but is hopeful they will help fill in the collection.
"What we have is a very strong collection, but this would be a jewel in the crown," he said.
Newspapers are difficult to care for and store, and in recent years, many libraries have thrown out copies of old newspapers. "The print on paper takes on an added meaning...It's significantly rare," Lindemann said.
Conway was particularly excited by the find because he is the author of "American Literacy: Fifty Books that Define our Culture and Ourselves." Uncle Tom's Cabin is among those culture-defining books. Conway has not yet purchased the house, but has spoken with the owners about donating the newspapers to the College. He said they have agreed, as long as the donation is made in memory of their parents.
Bowdoin College also recently purchased the 1807 house in which Stowe lived. A motel at the rear of the house will be used for student housing. In recent years the house has been used as a restaurant and inn. The College intends to preserve the house itself, but has no immediate plans for its use.
Media Contact: Allyson Algeo: (207) 725-3961 (work)(207) 774-2952 (home)[email protected]orScott Hood: (207) 725-3256
RSS