A Profile of Philanthropy: Elizabeth Rowell Thompson

Abstract

Elizabeth Rowell Thompson (1821-1899) is a forgotten philanthropist of the nineteenth century. Local to the Boston area, she had the great responsibility of acting as a conservator of significant wealth, a charge she took seriously. As a wealthy, independent woman, Thompson countered norms and supported numerous clauses including nascent sciences, utopian communities, and was even granted freedom of the floor of the House. Drawing on interviews, newspaper articles, letters, art work, and scholarly literature, this research will examine the broad impact of Thompson’s charity, which has been examined only in a piecemeal fashion, not comprehensively.