Elizabeth O. Sampson Hoyt

Elizabeth O. Sampson Hoyt (, Sampson; pen name, Aunt Libbie; December 7, 1828 – September 22, 1912) was an American philosopher, author, and lecturer of the long nineteenth century. She served as Vice President of the Universal Peace Union and Chair of the "National University Committee of Four Hundred". Early life and education Elizabeth Orpha Sampson was born at Athens, Ohio, December 7, 1828. She was the fifth daughter of John and Mercy (or Marcia) Sampson. An unusual interest in philosophy secured her, at ten years of age, special admission to the class in mental philosophy, taught by President William Holmes McGuffey, of the Ohio University. A year or two later, a special interest in the classics led to private study of Greek by firelight, as a result of which her vision was so impaired that she was obliged to wear glasses, and had very imperfect sight the remainder of her life. Though most fond of metaphysical studies, she possessed equal facility in the acquisition of mathematics and linguistics. Her ability to comprehend Paley, Butler, logic and the mathematics, when but a little girl, was impressive. She wrote poetry from a childhood. By the age of fifteen, she had written a volume. While she was urged to publish it, Hoyt's modesty kept her from doing so.