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The Birth of Elleanor Eldridge. She would go on to become an astute businesswoman.
1784 (Mar 27)
Elleanor Eldridge was born in Warwick, Rhode Island. She began working for the Baker family at an early age, washing clothes for twenty-five cents a week. During her six years with the family, she became skilled at spinning, weaving, and arithmetic. In 1812, she and her sister began a business of weaving, washing, and soap boiling that enabled Elleanor to buy a lot and build a house, which she would later rent out. By 1822, she had saved enough from her various business ventures to build a large house. Over a period of years she added to the house and began making payments toward a second house. When Eldridge made a trip to visit relatives, it was mistakenly reported that she had died. Upon her return, all her property, valued at $4,000, had been sold. On the advice of friends, she entered a "trespass and ejectment" suit, which she won. However, she could recover her property only after payment of $2,700, which likely went unpaid. In 1838, Eldridge's memoirs were written by Frances Harriet Whipple Greene McDougall.
References:
- • Hornsby, Alton. Chronology of African-American History: Significant Events and People from 1619 to the Present. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995.