Louisa Adelia Nichols

The expansion of women’s social circles and influence in their communities throughout the nineteenth century is exemplified in many of the materials associated with Louisa Adelia Nichols. She used writing to connect not only with her friends, but with the community as a whole. Writing was an extremely important mode of communication and income for women–especially those who, like Louisa Adelia Nichols, did not have husbands to support them financially. In a letter to a friend, Louisa Adelia Nichols describes her attempts to publish her work in a local magazine after her friends encouraged her to do so and expresses her doubts that the editor will find her piece worthy of publication. Her decision to confide in a friend about these concerns speaks to the importance of connections between women at a time when opportunities for engaging with the community were limited. These relationships were powerful in the face of adversity and allowed women to build the social networks needed to increase their access to the community at large.

Despite her doubts, several of Lousia Adelia Nichols’s pieces were published in various newspapers and magazines. She wrote on various topics ranging from local landmarks to grief to patriotism. The focus on these various ideas also represents a shift in the role played by women in society. They were no longer required to participate in the community solely as representations of moral behavior, instead, they could share their ideas and values with the community through writing and other creative pursuits.

She was also heavily involved in the Church and used her artistic talents to aid in the design of the windows in Saint John’s Memorial Chapel.  The Church served as yet another way for women to become more involved in their communities, however, it also strengthened the bonds between family members. Although these windows were designed to be placed in a location shared with the community, Louisa Adelia Nichols used the opportunity to commemorate her mother and other members of her family, showing yet again, the importance of the home in the community.