Sue Huntington Gilbert Dickinson
the woman who held the hearts of two Dickinson family members:
Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson (1830-1913), an American poet, was also revered as a muse and intimate confidante to the renowned poet Emily Dickinson. Celebrated as "the most graceful woman in Western Massachusetts" and affectionately nicknamed "Dollie" by Emily, Sue Gilbert significantly influenced the Dickinson family dynamics. She married Emily's brother Austin in 1853, yet maintained a deeply intimate relationship with Emily throughout her marriage, which endured until Austin's death in 1895, eighteen years prior to her own demise.
December 19, 1830:
The youngest of six siblings, Sue Gilbert was born to parents Thomas and Harriet Gilbert on December 19, 1830 in Old Deerfield Massachusetts; just nine days after Emily Dickinson.Like Emily, Sue was a Saggitarius. Saggittarius is a fire sign, ruled by Jupiter; it is the ninth sign of the zodiacOld Deerfield Massachussets, 1830'sorphaned at 11:
By the time Sue was eleven years old, both of her parents had died; her mother died in 1837 and her father 1841. That same year, she moved to Geneva, New York to live with her Aunt, Sophia, Van Vranken until 1847 when she moved to Amherst.Industrial Buildings in Geneva, New York 1840's1847, Amherst Academy
In 1847, when Sue Gilbert was 16, she left Geneva, New York to live with her sister Harriet and brother in-law William Cutler, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Initially, she attended Amherst Academy, for one semester in the fall of that year, where she met Emily Dickinson, and thus a life-long romance and friendship commenced.The Chilbearing Troubles of the Cutler Family: According to historical records, William and Harriet Cutler had four children between the years of 1844 and 1848 that all died either during childbirth or before they had aged one year. The first of the four being Harriet Gilbert Cutler, who was born on October 14, 1844. Harriet died approximately two months before her first birthday, on August 31, 1845. In 1846, Harriet gave birth to a set of twins; one girl and one boy, born on October 4, who both died two days after birth, on October 6th, 1846. On February 26, 1848, Harriet gave birth to a son, who died during childbirth. Finally, in 1852, Harriet and William have their 5th child, Dwight Gilbert Cutler, whose death succeeded his parents, in 1913Utica Female Academy
In 1848, Sue Gilbert transferred to Utica Female Academy in New York, a school for wealthy women in 19th century New York. The school burnt down in 1865, and promptly the school became Mrs. Piatt's Female Seminary, under new leadership. Sue stayed at Utica Female Academy until the end of the year, before moving back to Amherst, Massachusetts; where she stayed for the rest of her life.Mrs. Piatt's Female Seminary in 1870Children:
Sue Gilbert and Austin Dickinson were parents to three children: Edward, known as "Ned," born in 1861; Martha, born in 1866; and Thomas Gilbert, affectionately nicknamed "Gib," who was born in 1875. Sue outlived both of her sons: Edward tragically passed away at 36 from angina in 1898, shortly after a controversial legal verdict in a lawsuit involving the Dickinson and Todd families. Thomas succumbed to typhoid fever at the tender age of eight, a loss that deeply affected the entire Dickinson household, leaving Susan devastated and Emily severely ill for weeks. Martha, however, survived all her siblings and became the last direct descendant of the Dickinson lineage. She married Alexander Biancchi, a captain in the Russian Imperial Horse Guards, in 1902, though they later divorced in 1920. Martha's life extended until 1943, when she passed away at the age of 77.Martha DickinsonEdward "Ned" DickinsonGilbert "Gib" DickinsonMabel Loomis Todd:
Sue Gilbert introduced her husband to his mistress, Mabel Loomis Todd, in 1882, who later published Emily's work after she had passed. The public affair lasted 13 years, up until Austin's death in 1895; the couple even went on travels together. Both Mary Loomis Todd and Austin Dickinson remained married to their other partners however, despite having engaged in numerous public displays of unfaithfulness. This greatly troubled the eldest of the Sue's children, Edward, as their affair was publicized in a lengthy legal battle against the Todd's for adultery.1913: Sue Gilbert Dickinson passes away
Later in life, Sue Gilbert traveled back and forth to Europe several times and as a result, developed heart disease. She passed away on May 13, 1913 at the age of 72.
Sue's own work:
While Sue Gilbert is mostly known for her letter correspondance with Emily Dickinson, She also wrote some of her own things; from letters to poetry, here are some of the overlooked works of Sue Gilbert Dickinson: Besides publishing critical pieces and stories, Susan published at least one poem, "Love's Reckoning", in the Republican, and wrote quite a few others, that can be found on an Archive of All of the Works of Susan Dickinson.
- One asked, when was the grief?The robbed one mourner raised his/her[?] headHer with[?] lipsWhen - when her answer briefEyes hot with tears looked vagueWhen - when was all she said -I've lost my way in time somehowI lost the hours in vainT'was ages years - t'was ages - yesterday -Oh shattered heart t'was now -!
How many Winters goneHow many Summers loved[?] their flowersSince sorrow laid thee lowHow many trains of solemn hoursHave passed
What Summer flowered in vain" winter passed uncheeredWhat Autumn dyed in rent with painGrief's calendar has no hour - - I'm waiting but she comes not backI fondly call thro all the fragrant days/ I wonder much the loss of her sweet courtesySuch strange forsaking of her gracious ways Take Heart? [Lake Haven?]The Summer always kept her for it's ownShe wandered wide in winsome landsBut in the Autumn true & bright as steelI know she'll come with outstretched hands!/ I see her come / SHDfurnishing[?] fair wanderings in [winsome? wiser?] lands vainly call Wondering call the loss of her gay courtesy gay grieving for her sweet courtesy Sorrowing the loss of her sweet courtesy
- The days when smiles over [and?] tears will prevailThe wind will vex the somber azure of the waves [mazes?]I shall hear the grinding of their angry massI shall remember the storms of other daysWhen in all my heart I held thy voiceAnd the strong passions that [crossed out? or t crosses?] revealed the tide -[three words at 90 degrees:]ambiguous -patheticalyequivocal
- When death with his white fingersShall touch my browAnd close my eyes forever To all living beautyChoose for me all ye you to whom I may be dearA grave in the Sun near the border of the Sea 3 Infinite 1 and restless 2 -[i.e., A grave in the Sun near theborder of Infinite and restless Sea]And when the Great were appeased [have appeared?]I shall hear shall chant the old kisses echoThe To music far awayIt is enough the treasure of grief and joy amassedIn human lifeTo charm the eternal sleep -When death shall poise his white fingers upon my browWhen my eyes shall be forever closed to all living beautyLet me choose all you toWhom I may be dearA tomb in the sunshine near the Infinite and restless seaWhen my eyes shall be not as nowTo this[?] all living beautyLet me for Chosen all so dear to meA tomb in the sun bordering the sea Great in infinity
- "Hyssop"Lives blurred by grief and sinBarred close from warmth and lightVisions of beauty winThro fancy's magic night.---- ---- ---- ---- ----
Spent souls at close of frayShorn of all gifts but pain.Shrink from the narrow Way -And gaze at day again - - In thews of grinding ice [lie?]Fast in its death cold Seams,Of warmth and sunny skies,The Arctic castaway dreams.---- ---- ---- ----No instant's flash & gleam,No brief reprieve from pain,Or lapse in honey[dazey?] dreamFor [?] those whom Love hath hath slainOct 18 - 1884.
- Perhaps this is too sad to send you. Please return the scraps as Matty would not like hers seen by any one. I would like [Tony?] to copy this to keep it with my own. I was as much struck by the title Matty gave hers as anything -
- "Amor"A soft sound caught my EarUnlike the other sweetnessAnd putting by my prosy bookI sought the bird that made this.---- ---- ---- ----Perchance a passage - birdHad stop't to win my heartOr cat-bird had gone madAnd sung a human part ----- ---- ---- ----So low and tender sung
- It charmed my very soulFrom top-most bough it hungAnd let the sweet notes fall---- ---- ---- ----It was proved no foreign bird,Lost in our colder sky,But blue-jay that I heard,That instant did he fly.---- ---- ---- ----He sang unto his mateIn cosy nest close by,He sang their happy fate.He sang the sunny sky.---- ---- ---- ----
- Altho' he looked so gay and brightAnd sat as straight as ever,Love stole the harshness, from his noteAnd made his bold heart quaver -July 1884 / I was attracted by the mostlow loving notes & was soastonished to find it the harshblue-jay making love I wrote this -Perhaps it will please Lizzie
- Were I a poet I would tellyou in pretty four line verse Of June, and her belongings Of Sky and Grass Of hill and dale And Sun and MoonAll in the bonny month of June. ----
Of daisies white And violets blue And butter cups With hearts so true
----
Of dandelions gone to fuzzOf bumble bees that buzz & buzzOf red topped clover in the grassThat ne'er the boy or girl can pass - Of pretty girl & gallant boyWho fancy Nature is their toyWho quite forget the need to bowWhen they enjoy her holy air.This much and more would be my tuneAll in the bonny month of June - June 12"/89Am. Coll.
- "Crushed before the Moth"Waif of the Summer nightAll soft in velvet dustFrail devotee of LightSo bent on idle guest.---- ---- ---- ----Fluttering in helpless flightA hint of Tropic heatFaint in the morning lightThy silly life complete.
Oh man of pride and boastThis is thy stronger host -"Thou'rt crushed before the moth" - Waif of the summer nightA myth in velvet dustFrail devotee of lightShivering in idle quest
Tinted with Tyrian dyesA hint of tropic heatFaint in the early morningThy silly life complete Whose foundation isin the dust which arecrushed before the moth- Job
[?] A myth in velvet dust, 2 4 Frail devotee of lightSo bent on idle quest! 3 2 Waif of the Summer night; 1 1 Tinted with Tyrian dyes, 2 A hint of tropic heat- 3 Faint in the morning light dawn 4 Thy silly life complete.
O man of pride and boast, Is this thy stronger host?Thou'rt "crushed before the moth" . 1 A myth in velvet dust2 Waif of the Summer night3 Spiraling in idle questWaif of the Summer night4 Frail devotee of light - Minstrel of the passing daysSing me the song of all the waysThat snare the soul in the ???[red? Oct?] hazeSong of the dark glory of the hillsWhen dyes are frightened to dull huesOf all the gaudy shameless tintsThat fire the passions of the princeStrangling vines clasping their CleopatrasCloser than Antony's embraceWhole rims of haze in pinkHorizons be as if new worlds hewShaping off our common quest -
- ----------VALENTINES DAY----------When fast in rigid thews of ice, The palest month of all the year - The stoutest heart grown faint a bit As Winter's rigors still appear;
The motives of the Spring so dumb, The landscape shorn of grace, and lone, Adds but a shade of grayer gray To life's depressing monotone.
How sweet to know in farther clime, Where richer acres kiss the sun, In budded trees, in breath of May The birds betrothal is begun;
And robins tilt in perfect glee, Singing aloud their happy fate - Singing to every flower and sky in soft ecstatic keys Today, today we choose our mate!