Sophia Newell Kittredge was born November 22, 1824 in Nelson, New Hampshire to Abel Kittredge and Sophia Lyman, their first child. She had three younger brothers (one died as an infant), but her mother had difficulty with child bearing and died young. Abel remarried his wife's half-sister and gave Sophia three half-brothers (one died as an infant).
When Sophia was about 23, she was courted by Reverend James Riddle French, a widower with a young son. Sophia and James got married on August 7, 1849. The first few years of marriage were spent apart as he was a traveling preacher throughout New England. It wasn't until 1852 that he got a position at a Congregational church in Portland, Maine. There she gave birth to son in 1852. In about 1856, they moved to his hometown of Prospect, Maine. Reverend French was suffering from a chronic illness that weakened him. At the end of that year, Sophia had a baby girl.
On March 23, 1857, Reverend French died at the age of 46. Sophia wrote about it in a letter to her father: "O, my dear parents, I am all alone with my fatherless children.… My health is very poor. I am very weak, feel afraid I shall have to give up and be sick." She settled her husband's affairs in Maine and took the children to her father in New Hampshire. Then in about 1858, she moved alone to Dorchester, Massachusetts.
In 1861, Sophia kept a journal where she wrote of teaching at a girls' boarding school. She lost that job and for a time she ran a boardinghouse. Soon after, Sophia reunited with her children and settled in Boston, working as a city missionary helping the needy.
During the 1870s, her son moved west, and her daughter got married. Her son-in-law and daughter took Sophia into their household, and she retired from missionary work. In 1882, the family moved to Le Mars, Iowa. A tornado damaged their house in 1885. Sophia notified her son, who was living in Los Angeles, and he wrote back they should join him there. The family made the move in November 1889.
Sophia lived the rest of her life in Los Angeles, a part of her daughter's household. She died of cancer on December 22, 1900.
When Sophia was about 23, she was courted by Reverend James Riddle French, a widower with a young son. Sophia and James got married on August 7, 1849. The first few years of marriage were spent apart as he was a traveling preacher throughout New England. It wasn't until 1852 that he got a position at a Congregational church in Portland, Maine. There she gave birth to son in 1852. In about 1856, they moved to his hometown of Prospect, Maine. Reverend French was suffering from a chronic illness that weakened him. At the end of that year, Sophia had a baby girl.
On March 23, 1857, Reverend French died at the age of 46. Sophia wrote about it in a letter to her father: "O, my dear parents, I am all alone with my fatherless children.… My health is very poor. I am very weak, feel afraid I shall have to give up and be sick." She settled her husband's affairs in Maine and took the children to her father in New Hampshire. Then in about 1858, she moved alone to Dorchester, Massachusetts.
In 1861, Sophia kept a journal where she wrote of teaching at a girls' boarding school. She lost that job and for a time she ran a boardinghouse. Soon after, Sophia reunited with her children and settled in Boston, working as a city missionary helping the needy.
During the 1870s, her son moved west, and her daughter got married. Her son-in-law and daughter took Sophia into their household, and she retired from missionary work. In 1882, the family moved to Le Mars, Iowa. A tornado damaged their house in 1885. Sophia notified her son, who was living in Los Angeles, and he wrote back they should join him there. The family made the move in November 1889.
Sophia lived the rest of her life in Los Angeles, a part of her daughter's household. She died of cancer on December 22, 1900.
Sophia Newell Kittredge was born November 22, 1824 in Nelson, New Hampshire to Abel Kittredge and Sophia Lyman, their first child. She had three younger brothers (one died as an infant), but her mother had difficulty with child bearing and died young. Abel remarried his wife's half-sister and gave Sophia three half-brothers (one died as an infant).
When Sophia was about 23, she was courted by Reverend James Riddle French, a widower with a young son. Sophia and James got married on August 7, 1849. The first few years of marriage were spent apart as he was a traveling preacher throughout New England. It wasn't until 1852 that he got a position at a Congregational church in Portland, Maine. There she gave birth to son in 1852. In about 1856, they moved to his hometown of Prospect, Maine. Reverend French was suffering from a chronic illness that weakened him. At the end of that year, Sophia had a baby girl.
On March 23, 1857, Reverend French died at the age of 46. Sophia wrote about it in a letter to her father: "O, my dear parents, I am all alone with my fatherless children.… My health is very poor. I am very weak, feel afraid I shall have to give up and be sick." She settled her husband's affairs in Maine and took the children to her father in New Hampshire. Then in about 1858, she moved alone to Dorchester, Massachusetts.
In 1861, Sophia kept a journal where she wrote of teaching at a girls' boarding school. She lost that job and for a time she ran a boardinghouse. Soon after, Sophia reunited with her children and settled in Boston, working as a city missionary helping the needy.
During the 1870s, her son moved west, and her daughter got married. Her son-in-law and daughter took Sophia into their household, and she retired from missionary work. In 1882, the family moved to Le Mars, Iowa. A tornado damaged their house in 1885. Sophia notified her son, who was living in Los Angeles, and he wrote back they should join him there. The family made the move in November 1889.
Sophia lived the rest of her life in Los Angeles, a part of her daughter's household. She died of cancer on December 22, 1900.
When Sophia was about 23, she was courted by Reverend James Riddle French, a widower with a young son. Sophia and James got married on August 7, 1849. The first few years of marriage were spent apart as he was a traveling preacher throughout New England. It wasn't until 1852 that he got a position at a Congregational church in Portland, Maine. There she gave birth to son in 1852. In about 1856, they moved to his hometown of Prospect, Maine. Reverend French was suffering from a chronic illness that weakened him. At the end of that year, Sophia had a baby girl.
On March 23, 1857, Reverend French died at the age of 46. Sophia wrote about it in a letter to her father: "O, my dear parents, I am all alone with my fatherless children.… My health is very poor. I am very weak, feel afraid I shall have to give up and be sick." She settled her husband's affairs in Maine and took the children to her father in New Hampshire. Then in about 1858, she moved alone to Dorchester, Massachusetts.
In 1861, Sophia kept a journal where she wrote of teaching at a girls' boarding school. She lost that job and for a time she ran a boardinghouse. Soon after, Sophia reunited with her children and settled in Boston, working as a city missionary helping the needy.
During the 1870s, her son moved west, and her daughter got married. Her son-in-law and daughter took Sophia into their household, and she retired from missionary work. In 1882, the family moved to Le Mars, Iowa. A tornado damaged their house in 1885. Sophia notified her son, who was living in Los Angeles, and he wrote back they should join him there. The family made the move in November 1889.
Sophia lived the rest of her life in Los Angeles, a part of her daughter's household. She died of cancer on December 22, 1900.
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