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The Birth of Dorothea Lynde Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix was born on April 4, 1802 in the town of Hampden Maine.Dorothea was the first of her other three brothers. Dorothea's mother, Mary Bigelow Dix was diagonosed with several problems, so she never showed Dorothea the affection needed to a child. Joesph Dix, Dorothea's father who was an abusive alchoholic still taught her to read and write which influenced her future in teaching and helping others. -
Publishing Books
Edward Bangs helped Dorothea start her career in teaching when she was fourteen. While teaching in Massachusetts Dorothea wrote several textbooks for her classes including "Conversations on Common Things, Hymns for Children, Evening Hours, Meditations for Private Hours, and The Garland of Flora". -
Meeting Edward Bangs
Edward Bangs was Dorothea's second cousin, The meet when Dorotheas's grandmothers sister, Ms. Duncan threw a party at their home. Edward helped Dorothea go through with her passion of teaching and along the way fell in love with her. Edward propsed and though she accepted she never gave a date for the wedding. Dorothea feared that their marrige would end up like her parents. Soon after her father passed away. Dorothea gave the ring back and left Edward, the marrige never went through. (No Date) -
Tuberculosis
Dorothea continued teaching until 1836 when she became too ill with tuberculosis to continue with it. After seeing a doctor who highly urged her to take a long vacation, she left for England. Dorothea stayed there for two years. While she was trying to get better, she learned that both her mother and grandmother past away within two days of each other. -
The Asylum Movement
Dorothea was offered to teach a Sunday School class in East Cambridge House of Correctiond. Dorothea took the job without knowing what she was about to face. Once she arrived she was horrifed to see that many were bound by chains or kept in cages. Some children who commited minor crimes were put in with adult criminals. Dorothea left and went to hundereds of other prisons throughout Massachusetts. Dorothea has given prisioners and people with mental illness a better life too get better. -
Civil War Nurse
In 1861 Dorothea was appointed superintendent of army nurses for civil war service. Dorothea accepted the offer without any pay. Dorothea was also nicknamed "Dragon Dix" because she was always so stern and often fought with the military bureaucracy and occasionally ignored administrative details. Dorothea also looked out for the other nurses as they took care of the men in brutal environment. -
Established The First State Hospital
Dorothea helped establish the first state hospital in Trenton, New Jersey. Dorothea's health was failing, so she admitted herself to the hospital. Six years later she passed away. -
The Death of Dorothea Lynde Dix
Dorothea Dix died on July 17, 1887 of what her physican called ossification of the arterial membrane. Dorothea passed away in the first state hospital that she established in Trenton New Jersey. Dorothea was buried in the Mount Auburn Cemetary near Boston with the simplest of funeral services. In 1903 the United States Congress gave $20,000 for a monument to her birthplace.
