Sarah Devereux: a study in southern femininity

Sarah Devereux Garrison was a 19th century Texan who expanded the social role of women while not rebelling against traditional femininity. Her first husband died in 1856, and she took over control of the family plantation for the next 13 years. She became a public supporter of the Southern cause in the Civil War. Her second marriage fared poorly, and she became a teacher and rented rooms to boarders. The marriage ended in divorce, and she maintained independence for herself thereafter.