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Berlin, Conn., Troy, N. Y., Baltimore, Md.
ALMIRA HART, better known as MRS. LINCOLN and MRS. PHELPS, was the seventeenth child of Capt. Samuel Hart, of Kensington, and the tenth by his second wife, Lydia Hinsdale, was born July 13th, 1793, at Berlin, Conn. In the following sketch, I transcribe from a letter of her sister, Mrs. Willard, to some extent. She says: Almira was a pupil of mine for the three years I taught in Berlin, after which, at an early age, she taught a common school. She was subsequently with Mrs. Willard at Middlebury, Vt., and, about eighteen, at the Female Academy in Pittsfield, Mass., under the excellent instruction of a maternal cousin, Miss Nancy Hinsdale. Returning to Middlebury, after having taught for a time a select school in Middletown, Conn., she remained a while with Mrs. Willard, and then took charge of a female academy at Sandy Hill, N. Y. Here she developed the extraordinary talents which have marked her subsequent career. After two years, she married, Oct. 5th, 1817, Simeon Lincoln, Jr., of New Britain, Conn., a printer by trade and occupation, and an editor of a literary paper at Hartford, Conn. They had Jane, who was educated at Troy. Emma Willard, married a lawyer of Reading, Penn. Mr. Lincoln died Oct. 4th, 1823, and she engaged at once in teaching a winter school near her home, although having two small children on her hands. In the spring, she entered Mrs. Willard's Seminary as a teacher, having taken up the Latin language evenings (or nights) of the past winter-her progress was remarkable. Mrs. Willard gave her the department of natural science. About four years after this, she wrote her work on Botany, being then vice-principal of Troy Seminary. This was a decided success, and still holds its place as the first on the subject: it has afforded her an emolument, and made the publisher rich. While Mrs. Willard was in Europe, Mrs. Lincoln managed the Troy Seminary as principal with great ability, and procured of the corporation of Troy an important addition to the grounds. In 1831, Mrs. Lincoln became the wife of Hon. John Phelps, of Vermont, a distinguished jurist and eminent statesman. She then went to reside at Guilford, and subsequently at Brattleboro, Vt. Here she pursued her literary studies, and published a work on Natural Philosophy, and an abridgment of the same; a work on Chemistry, and Chemistry for Beginners; a small work on Geology; a small work entitled Botany for Beginners; a work for the Harpers' Family Library, named "Caroline Westerly;" and published a popular octavo entitled, the Fireside Friend, -made up in part of her Saturday Lectures to the pupils of Troy. In 1838, Mrs. Phelps, with the appro- |