“S” is for Summers, Eliza Ann (1844-1900). Educator. Born in Woodbury, Connecticut, Summers taught in the grammar schools in the vicinity of her hometown, where she gained a reputation for being a competent instructor. In December 1866 she volunteered her services to the American Missionary Association to teach emancipated slaves in South Carolina. She arrived at Hilton Head in January 1867. Following an orientation, she was conducted to quarters in Mitchellville, a hamlet of some five hundred formerly enslaved persons. Throughout her service on the island, Summers recorded her daily experiences in a diary. She also wrote many detailed letters to her older sister, Sarah. Her various writings (published after her death) provided detailed descriptions of life among the freedmen of Hilton Head. In June 1867, Ann Eliza Summers resigned her position and returned to Connecticut.
“S” is for Summers, Eliza Ann (1844-1900)
