Ralph Waldo Was Raised By Women
On May 25, 1803, Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Emerson was entirely of English ancestry, and his family had been in New England since the early colonial period.
Reverend William Emerson, a well-known Bostonian, and Unitarian pastor, was Emerson's father. He didn't, however, limit his attention to issues of religion and deity. William Emerson also hosted intellectual gatherings, bringing together tolerant individuals from all backgrounds to talk about literature, science, and philosophy. Emerson was just 7 years old when his father tragically passed away in 1811 from possibly stomach cancer or TB.
Emerson was raised without his father for the majority of his life, despite following in his father's footsteps and entering the ministry. Strong female thoughts and voices dominated their cosmos and served as their rulers. Emerson's mother and a number of aunts raised him. Particularly profoundly influencing him was his aunt Mary Moody Emerson. She is credited as Ralph's first and finest teacher. She stayed with the family and maintained a constant correspondence with Emerson, until her passing in 1863.
