Judith Sargent Murray

Occupation: Writer; essayist on political, social, and religious themes; letter writer; poet; dramatist

Known for: "The Gleaner" and an early feminist essay

Also known as: Judith Sargent Stevens, Judith Sargent Stevens Murray. Pen names: Constantia, Honora-Martesia, Honora

Judith Sargent Murray was born the daughter of Captain Winthrop Sargent of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Judith Saunders. She was the oldest of the eight Sargent children. Judith was educated with her brother Winthrop, although he went on to Harvard and she, being female, had no such possibilities.

Her first marriage, in 1769, was to Captain John Stevens. Both Judith and her husband were outspoken in support of the American Revolution. He was constantly in financial difficulties. Judith turned to writing, publishing poems and essays beginning in 1784. Captain Stevens, in hopes of turning his finances around and to avoid debtor's prison, sailed to the West Indies, where he died in 1786.

The Rev. John Murray had come to Gloucester in 1774, bringing the message of Universalism. As a result, the Sargents -- Judith's family -- and the Stevens converted to Universalism, a faith that, in contrast to the Calvinism of the time, accepted that all human beings could be saved. Judith Sargent and John Murray began a long correspondence and respectful friendship. After the death of Captain Stevens, the friendship turned to courtship, and in 1788, they married.

Judith Sargent Murray continued to write poetry, essays, and drama. She wrote a series of essays for the Massachusetts Magazine called "The Gleaner," which looked at the politics of the new nation of America or at religious and moral themes. Her essay, "On the Equality of the Sexes," was written in 1779, though she did not publish it until 1790.

The introduction indicates that Murray published the essay because there were other essays on the subject in circulation and she wanted to defend her essay's priority -- but we do not have those other essays. On the basis of this essay, Judith Sargent Murray is credited as an early American feminist.

Judith Sargent Murray wrote drama first in response to a call for original work by American writers and, though her plays were often misattributed to male writers (including to her husband, John Murray), and though they did not find critical acclaim, did achieve some popular success.

In 1798, a collection of Judith Sargent Murray's writings were published as "The Gleaner."

Judith Sargent Murray also accompanied her husband on his preaching tours, and they counted among acquaintances and friends many early leaders of the United States. Her letters describing these visits and her correspondence with friends and relatives are invaluable in understanding the daily life in the federal period of American history.

Judith Sargent Murray and her husband John Stevens had no children. In Judith's second marriage, she had a son who died shortly after birth, and a daughter, Julia Maria Murray.

In 1812, Julia married a wealthy Mississippian, Adam Louis Bingamon, who helped relieve the financial difficulties of the Murrays.

John Murray died in 1815. During his later years and after his death, Judith Sargent Murray edited and published his letters, sermons, and his autobiography.

In her last years, Judith Sargent Murray continued her correspondence with her family and friends. When Julia's husband exercised his legal right to require his wife to accompany him there, Judith also went to Mississippi. Judith died about a year after moving to Mississippi. Both Julia and her child died shortly after that.

Judith Sargent Murray was largely forgotten as a writer until late in the twentieth century. Alice Rossi resurrected "On the Equality of the Sexes" for a collection called "The Feminist Papers" in 1974, bringing it to wider attention.

Bibliography:

Smith, Bonnie Hurd. From Gloucester to Philadelphia in 1790: Observations, Thoughts, and Anecdotes from the Letters of Judith Sargent Murray. (compare prices)

Skemp, Sheila L. Judith Sargent Murray: A Brief Biography With Documents. (compare prices)

Field, Vena Bernadette. Constantia: A Study of the Life and Works of Judith Sargent Murray, 1751-1920.

Kritzer, Amelia Howe. "Playing with Republican Motherhood: Self-Representation in Plays by Susanna Haswell Rowson and Judith Sargent Murray, in Early American Literature." Early American Literature Volume 31, 1996.

Harris, Sharon M., editor. Selected Writings of Judith Sargent Murray. (compare prices)

Harris, Sharon M. "Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820, Massachusetts)." American Women Writers to 1800. (compare prices)

Baym, Nina, editor. The Gleaner. (compare prices)

Detsi-Diamanti, Zoe. Early American Women Dramatists 1775-1860. (compare prices)

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