by Obbie Tyler Todd

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Catharine Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella Beecher Hooker, William Henry Beecher, Thomas K. Beecher, James Chaplin Beecher, – some of the seminal names of the mid to late 19th Century in America. They are just some of the 11 surviving children of Lyman Beecher. Lyman was born in 1775 and an important and controversial Presbyterian minister. It was once said of him that he was “the father of more brains than any other man in America.” They were a diverse group of free thinkers who included “a celebrity novelist, a college president, the most well-known preacher in America, a suffragist, a radical abolitionist, a pioneer in women’s education, and the founder of home economics.” Between Lyman and his children there were also a number of heresy trials, legal problems from their various vices, and sometimes vigorous disagreement. Obbie Tyler Todd pulls together the various strands of their lives into one large tapestry of Beecherism…

“Beecherism” was a somewhat pejorative term used by the Beecher’s family opponents to dismiss their ideas. The problem from a categorization perspective, is that within the family there were a variety of opinions, that coalesced around Christianity and a general humanistic thought. They were also tribal to outside attacks, even if they were arguing amongst themselves. Lyman started as a relatively moderate post-colonial evangelical 2nd Great Awakening minster. Over time, he questioned several beliefs, but never fully repudiated them. His children ran much further afield as they age. They ran the gamut of beliefs in antebellum abolition positions. Some were among the earliest suffragists, and anti suffragists. They were incredibly influential family.

Todd does a good job of pulling the character of the most public Beecher’s together. To fully understand the theological portions of the book, it does take some background – as he tends to state positions and not fully explain. Similarly, I am unsure if someone who has done some study of abolitionist thought will understand some of the nuance of their positions. A very good read, if you are interested in the subject.

368 pages

4/5