Julia Catherine Beckwith
Encyclopedia
Julia Catherine Beckwith (1796–1867) was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick
on March 10, 1796. She spent much of her early life in Nova Scotia
and Quebec
. Her mother Julie-Louis Le Burn, daughter of Jean Baptiste Le Brun de Duplessis came from a wealthy French family who immigrated to Canada
during the 17th and 18th century. Beckwith’s father Nehemiah Beckwith (U. E. L.), was from New England
and settled in New Brunswick in 1780, where he owned a successful ship building company. It was through her travels to Quebec
and Nova Scotia
that she incorporated her experiences through her novels. Beckwith’s mother had renounced her Roman Catholic faith and shared her husbands Methodist views, yet it was her mother’s religious background that would provide the subject matter of Canada’s first novel St Ursula’s Covent (or The Nun of Canada) at the age of seventeen. Two years after Beckwith wrote her novel, her father died in a drowning accident and in 1820 and she was sent to live in Upper Canada
(Kingston) with family where she would establish a boarding school for girls and meet and then marry George Henry Hart (between 1822–1824).
She married at Kingston, Ontario
January 3, 1822, George Henry Hart. It took nearly over 10 years for Beckwith to find someone that would publish her work. In 1824, Hugh C. Thomson agreed to publish St. Ursula’s Covent or, The Nun of Canada; Containing Scenes
from Real Life, and as Beckwith wished, as an anonymous author. However only 165 copies were made. After Beckwith’s romantic novel was criticized as “too complicated” almost all copies were lost.
Later, Beckwith and her husband moved to the United States
where she would write her second novel Tonnawanda ; or, The Adopted Son of America ; an Indian Story" and was published in Rochester, N.Y., as “By an American.” In 1831 Beckwith, along with her husband and six children, moved back to Fredericton, where she would write her third novel in manuscript Edith (or The Doom) that was never published.
In 1831 she returned to Fredericton, New Brunswick
. On November 28, 1867, Julia Catherine Beckwith died in Fredericton, New Brunswick at the age of 71. However, she was not recognized until at the end of the century when Canadian writing became of interest. In 1904, chief librarian of the Toronto Public Library
, James Bain, obtained a copy of St. Ursula’s Covent at an auction for $8.00. Only five other copies have been discovered (one at the Library of Congress in Washington, the others at the Bibliothèque Nationale de Quebec, Brock University and the University of New Brunswick) and one partial copy resides at the library of McGill University.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
on March 10, 1796. She spent much of her early life in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Her mother Julie-Louis Le Burn, daughter of Jean Baptiste Le Brun de Duplessis came from a wealthy French family who immigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during the 17th and 18th century. Beckwith’s father Nehemiah Beckwith (U. E. L.), was from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and settled in New Brunswick in 1780, where he owned a successful ship building company. It was through her travels to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
that she incorporated her experiences through her novels. Beckwith’s mother had renounced her Roman Catholic faith and shared her husbands Methodist views, yet it was her mother’s religious background that would provide the subject matter of Canada’s first novel St Ursula’s Covent (or The Nun of Canada) at the age of seventeen. Two years after Beckwith wrote her novel, her father died in a drowning accident and in 1820 and she was sent to live in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
(Kingston) with family where she would establish a boarding school for girls and meet and then marry George Henry Hart (between 1822–1824).
She married at Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
January 3, 1822, George Henry Hart. It took nearly over 10 years for Beckwith to find someone that would publish her work. In 1824, Hugh C. Thomson agreed to publish St. Ursula’s Covent or, The Nun of Canada; Containing Scenes
from Real Life, and as Beckwith wished, as an anonymous author. However only 165 copies were made. After Beckwith’s romantic novel was criticized as “too complicated” almost all copies were lost.
Later, Beckwith and her husband moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where she would write her second novel Tonnawanda ; or, The Adopted Son of America ; an Indian Story" and was published in Rochester, N.Y., as “By an American.” In 1831 Beckwith, along with her husband and six children, moved back to Fredericton, where she would write her third novel in manuscript Edith (or The Doom) that was never published.
In 1831 she returned to Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
. On November 28, 1867, Julia Catherine Beckwith died in Fredericton, New Brunswick at the age of 71. However, she was not recognized until at the end of the century when Canadian writing became of interest. In 1904, chief librarian of the Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library is a public library system based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public library system in Canada and in 2008, had averaged a higher...
, James Bain, obtained a copy of St. Ursula’s Covent at an auction for $8.00. Only five other copies have been discovered (one at the Library of Congress in Washington, the others at the Bibliothèque Nationale de Quebec, Brock University and the University of New Brunswick) and one partial copy resides at the library of McGill University.