When looking at the physical characteristics in the first publication of The History of Maria Kittle an observer cannot help but notice how bare the edition is. The story, which was originally published in 1793 along with a series of other posthumous works by Ann Eliza Bleecker, was published by itself for the first time in 1797 by Elisha Babcock at the behest of Bleecker’s daughter Margaretta Bleecker Faugeres. Fine Feeling Exemplified in the Conduct of a Negro, an essay written by Margaretta, was published in the New York Magazine in 1791 and disputed the beliefs of Thomas Jefferson. It is our belief The History of Maria Kittle, based on its physical appearance, was not looked upon as a profitable endeavor for a publisher and was published mostly due to the literary influence of Bleecker’s daughter Margaretta.
Again, the front matter of the book is sparse at best providing the story’s author, Bleecker, as well as its publication information. No dedication is present which can likely be credited to Bleeker’s death and her belief that her work would not be published. Little is present other than the actual text providing further evidence of the publisher’s frugality. It is worth mentioning the title of the story which is The History of Maria Kittle. The story, as indicated by its title, is a historical narrative, a captive narrative to be more specific. Bleecker’s work is not dealing with fiction but instead the actual history of a woman around the time of the American Revolution.
Sharon M. Harris, in her book Women’s Early Historical Narratives, notes, “What is unusual about much of the history writing of this period is that many of the authors were writing about very recent history, about lived history” (Harris xi). This is quite true in the writing of Bleecker who not only writes on a factual individual, but takes their factual history, their lived history, as well and retells their story.
Bleecker’s story is written as one, continuous letter to her friend Miss Ten Eyck detailing the life of Maria Kittle and her “unfortunate adventures” (Bleecker 3). Kittle was, according to Bleecker, from a family of considerable means whose “good natural abilities, [were] improved by some learning” (Bleecker 4). The beginning of the story describes Kittle’s early life as a well provided for youth who was married at fifteen and gave birth to her first child after little more than a year. The Kittles were ideal in almost every way imaginable and were “almost adored by their neighbors” (Bleecker 6).
However, The French and Indian War proved to be troublesome for the Kittles as Native Americans became present in the English frontiers forcing the couple to travel with family to Albany. Reading in further pages details the captivity of Kittle which has yet to take place at this juncture of the story.
Ann Eliza Bleecker’s captivity narrative The History of Maria Kittle was published posthumously and only in the city of Hartford. The book’s poor aesthetics and minimal front matter lead viewers to believe the work was far from profitable. Moreover, it is entirely possible the work was only published because of the efforts of Bleecker’s daughter Margaretta, an author herself, who fought to have her mother’s work published.
Bleecker, Ann Eliza. The History of Maria Kittle. Hartford: Elisha Babcock, 1797.
Harris, Sharon M. Women’s Early American Historical Narratives. New York: Penguin Books, 2003.
Portraits of American Women Writers:. Connie King. 2005.The Library Company of Philadelphia. Feb. 11, 2011. <http://www.librarycompany.org/women/portraits/bleecker.htm>.
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