Abigail Goodrich Whittlesey

Dr. Darla Shaw portrays editor, journalist, and publisher Abigail Goodrich Whittlesey who founded The Mother's Magazine in the 1830s. She grew up in Ridgefield and was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Goodrich and the sister of prolific children's author Samuel Goodrich (Jr.) also known as Peter Parley.

Dr. Darla Shaw portrays editor, journalist, and publisher Abigail Goodrich Whittlesey who founded The Mother’s Magazine in the 1830s. She grew up in Ridgefield and was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Goodrich and the sister of prolific children’s author Samuel Goodrich (Jr.) also known as Peter Parley. Abigail attended the West Lane Schoolhouse until the eighth grade and then studied at Sarah Pierce’s Litchfield Female Academy. She became a teacher and taught school in the Finger Lakes of New York where she met her husband. She had seven children and, given all of her experience as a mother and a teacher, Abigail created and published the first resource for women and parents.

Search

More Posts

Scott House Journal, February 2026

This edition of the Scott House Journal features the nation’s Centennial and how Ridgefield marked the nation’s 100th birthday, as well as how the town dealt with the ‘Centennial Burglars.

Ridgefield Voters Approve East Ridge Historic District

Residents extended historic protections to the town’s third ridge and affirmed the community’s longstanding commitment to preserving the architectural character that defines Ridgefield’s past, present, and future.

The Story of the Goodwill Baptist Church in Ridgefield

A moving Black History Month program at the Ridgefield Historical Society explored the founding, legacy, and lasting significance of the Goodwill Baptist Church, Ridgefield’s first Black church, and the faith,

Send Us A Message