Lecture Series: Norwich Notable: Lydia Huntley Sigourney - A New Look at Norwich’s Best-Selling Poet

Known as “The Sweet Singer of Hartford,” Norwich-born Lydia Huntley Sigourney was the first American woman to become the best-selling poet and author in the 19th century. Born in 1791, Lydia gave voice to the moral and social values of the era. She wrote poems and prose from an early age, with topics ranging from nature, domestic and religious life, social commentary, and and she often wrote about Norwich, as well.. In her early adulthood, she founded schools for women in Norwich and in Hartford. She married Charles Sigourney of Hartford, and throughout her married life she wrote and published her work. In addition to her writing, Lydia was an advocate for various social causes. She wrote over 60 books and thousands of published articles, and her celebrity lasted until her death in 1865.