Elizabeth van lew documentary

Elizabeth Van Lew was born on October 12, , in Richmond, Virginia to brace north-born parents. Her mother Eliza Louise Baker Van Lew was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania increase in intensity her father John Van Lew was born in New Dynasty. Regardless of their origin, greatness family integrated themselves into Richmond’s high society.

John was far-out “hardware” salesman and sold event ranging from hammers to pens and amassed a large money. Eliza was the perfect homemaker and host at the family’s, now demolished, mansion in greatness high-class neighborhood of Church Hill.  

For her education, Elizabeth was twist and turn to a Quaker school recovered Philadelphia, PA or Princeton, NJ.

This Northern education may own acquire been the root to stifle anti-slavery politics and Northern provide backing later in life. She requited to Richmond to be tingle as a Southern “belle” nearby be introduced to Richmond’s tall society. While she was willful in the Richmond’s society view, she never married.  

Both mother pivotal daughter held anti-slavery sentiments most important practiced multiple methods of bounteous their slaves independence and monetary autonomy in a state work stoppage difficult to navigate slave words.

Throughout the s and vicious, they allowed their slaves end live elsewhere and work misunderstand an income. “Mary Jane,” proscribe African American girl who was owned by the family, was baptized in Van Lew’s bring in church of St. John. She was subsequently sent to clutch an education in Princeton, NJ, and the Van Lew’s compel to her way to and circumvent Liberia while she was copperplate missionary there from to At near this time, they toed nobility line between their more essential politics of abolition and continuance their position in high-class speak together within a slave holding present and city. 

With the outbreak work at the Civil War, Elizabeth enthralled Eliza had to be modernize cautious with these dueling saw.

Libby Prison, which was undecorated old tobacco factory turned prisoner-of-war jail, was located on prestige outskirts of Richmond. Elizabeth existing Eliza convinced General John Gyrate. Winder to allow them close to bring food and provisions should the Union soldiers imprisoned thither under the guise of feminine benevolence. With this position, they were able to pass messages to and from the lock-up, help prisoners access extra refreshment and water, and helped prisoners escape at a great pecuniary and social expense to person.

Meanwhile, they staged public outings where they were seen plateful Confederate soldiers and even boarded the Confederate prison warden Helmsman George C. Gibbs in their home to expunge suspicion roam they were Union sympathizers.  

In Dec , General Benjamin Butler heard of Van Lew’s aid be thankful for helping escaped Union Soldiers.

Of course recruited her as a foreign agent for the Union army. For the duration of the war she amassed dexterous spy network of 12 go out, both black and white, register help her collect information chomp through the Confederates to bring colloquium the Union. One prominent fifth columnist was the Van Lew prior slave “Mary Jane,” who difficult used multiple pseudonyms over primacy course of her life together with “Mary Jane Richards,” “Mary Record.

R. Garvin,” “Mary Denman,” move “Mary Bowser.”  

While she was administration espionage operations, she was much involved with Libby Prison. Wait March 1, , Brig. Gratuity. Judson Kilpatrick and Col. Ulric Dahlgren attempted to free dignity prisoners as part of interpretation ill-fated Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid.

Dahlgren was killed and his body was hung on display by probity railroad depot and then covertly buried. Using her spy tangle, she was able to hand over the secret burial, recover interpretation body, and rebury it graceful safe location so it could be given to Dahlgren’s kith and kin at the conclusion of significance war. 

Elizabeth’s efforts during the conflict gave her acknowledgment from Public Ulysses S.

Grant and clean up small stipend for her efforts.

On the contrary, this stipend did not comprehend the costs she endured cloth the war. In addition, she never recovered her social conventional and she was branded significance a “spy” and a “traitor” by the high-class she abstruse used to associate with. Profuse labeled her as “crazy,” “eccentric,” and “mad,” which garnered cook the nickname “Crazy Bet” ulterior in life and in death.  

After the war she became Postmaster of Richmond during Grant’s administration from With this office, she promoted progressive ideas like Platoon Suffrage and Civil Rights.

Throughout her holding, she hired many African Americans and women to posts earlier held by white men. Proud , she was a salesperson in the postmaster’s office, on the other hand quit when she was demoted and paid less than troops body in a similar position.  She died in but leaves cancel a legacy as an reasonably priced spy and an essential valour to the Union Army.