Woman of the Century/Sarah T. Bolton

BOLTON, Mrs. Sarah T., poet, born in Newport, Ky., 18th December, 1812. Her maiden name was Barritt. When she was only three years old, her parents removed to Jennings county, Ind. Thence they removed to Madison, where Sarah grew to womanhood. She was educated in North Madison. She became a thorough English scholar, and at subsequent periods of her life acquired a knowledge of German and French. When fourteen years of age, she wrote verses. When not SARAH T. BOLTON. more than sixteen years old, several of her poems were published in a Madison paper. The editor was Nathaniel P. Bolton, and her literary ventures led to an acquaintance with him which resulted in marriage. The early years of her married life were passed on a farm west of Indianapolis. Her time and energies were chiefly devoted to home cares, having been blessed with a son and daughter. In the year 1850 William D. Gallagher, William C. Larrabee and Robert Dale Owen each wrote a biographical notice of her, highly commendatory of her personal and intellectual charms. Mr. Bolton was appointed consul to Switzerland in 1855 by President Pierce. He was accompanied to Europe by his wife and children, the latter of whom spent considerable time in Germany, Italy and France. From all these countries Mrs. Bolton wrote poems, besides sending many valuable prose contributions to the " Home Journal " and Cincinnati "Commercial." Hitherto she had known no trouble but.that caused by vicissitude of fortune and the hard cares of life, and in November, 1858, her first great sorrow came in the death of her husband. Mrs. Bolton's life has been full of eflbrt. During the Civil War she wrote many stirring songs, among them "The Union Forever" and "Ralph Farnham's Dream." It is interesting to trace Mrs. Bolton's patriotic blood to its Revolutionary source. Her father was the youngest son of Col. Lemuel Barritt, who distinguished himself as an officer in the war of Independence. Her mother was a Pendleton of Virginia and closely related to James Madison. Mrs. Bolton has spent several years of her life abroad, and she now resides near Indianapolis. She has published "The Life and Poems of Sarah T. Bolton" (Indianapolis, 18S0). Her last volume is entitled "The Songs of a Lifetime." This volume is edited by Professor Ridpath, of De Pauw Uniersity, with a preface by General Lew Wallace. Mrs. Bolton is in poor health, but her pen is not idle.