About Elizabeth Ott
Elizabeth Ott, the author of these letters, was born in Wilton, a small town in upstate New York, on January 16, 1818. At the time these letters were written, she was a 29-year-old teacher at Lindenwood School for Girls in St. Charles, Missouri. She was engaged to Alton Rufus Easton, brother of Lindenwood co-founder Mary Easton Sibley, and namesake of Alton, Illinois. When Easton was serving in the Mexican-American War, Ott lived with the Sibleys and wrote him these letters, entertaining him with local news and gossip.
Elizabeth (also called Eliza) went on to marry Easton, becoming Elizabeth Ott Easton in 1849. They had three children: Alby (1850), Archibald (1851), and Alton Jr. (1853). She died at the age of 41 on October 16, 1859 and is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery. Unfortunately, no pictures of Elizabeth remain.
Elizabeth's letters paint a picture of a working, independent woman at a time when women had few employment options. She refers to her family's financial struggles in these letters, and may have taken this teaching job far away from her parents and siblings due to financial pressures. While her life experience might have been very different from the comfortable finances of the Eastons and Sibleys she lives with, she makes herself a vital part of the family and community; these letters are full of her close friendships she forged. The letters are also, unsurprisingly, full of her insecurities and loneliness as her fiance was away at war. These letters richly illustrate the daily lives and gossip of Elizabeth and her friends in St. Charles in 1847.
Other Characters
Alton Easton, pictured above, served as a Colonel commanding the St. Louis Legion regiment during the Mexican-American War. Elizabeth was engaged to him during this time and would marry him upon his return to St. Charles.
Mary Easton Sibley, sister of Alton and Elizabeth's landlord/boss, was co-founder of Lindenwood College with George Sibley. In 1831 she founded a girl's school on the campus of what would later become Lindenwood College; Elizabeth taught at this school. In 1852, the Sibleys donated the land and school facilities to become Lindenwood College, the first woman's college west of the Mississippi.
George Champlin Sibley, co-founder of Lindenwood College, was retired at the time of Elizabeth's letters to Alton. Major Sibley had been an Indian Factor exploring the West and communicating with local native Americans.