Frances Manwaring Caulkins.

About Frances Manwaring Caulkins

Frances Manwaring Caulkins was a 19th-century American historian and genealogist, the author of histories of New London, Connecticut and Norwich, Connecticut. Through her father, she was descendant of Hugh Caulkins, who came with Richard Blinman, the first minister of the Plymouth Colony. On her mother's side, her ancestry was noted in early English history, Sir Ranulphus de Manwaring being justice of Chester, in 1189–99; another, Sir William, was killed in the streets of Chester, defending Charles I on October 9, 1644. Her father died before Fanny was born, and her uncle, Christopher Manwaring, was exceedingly fond of his talented niece, aiding her with his library, and for seven years, she lived with him. When she wanted to start teaching, he set apart a room as her schoolroom. The first of her writings, now known to have been printed, appeared in the Connecticut Gazette on April 17, 1816.