Lydia Hamilton Smith (c. 1814 – February 14, 1884) was an American housekeeper and businesswoman. She worked for many years for politician Thaddeus Stevens. After he died, she became a successful businesswoman.
Lydia Hamilton Smith (c. 1814 – February 14, 1884) was an American housekeeper and businesswoman. She worked for many years for politician Thaddeus Stevens. After he died, she became a successful businesswoman.
Lydia Hamilton was born free near Gettysburg, in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Her father was from Scotland. Her mother had a white mother and a Black father. Lydia may have been born in 1813, 1814, or 1815—sources disagree. She married a Black barber named Jacob Smith, and they had two sons. But they later separated. Lydia started working for Thaddeus Stevens around 1844 or 1847.
After leaving her husband, Smith moved with her mother and sons to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There, she became housekeeper for Thaddeus Stevens, a lawyer and politician. He never married. She worked for him until he died in 1868. She also worked in his Washington, D.C. home.
People said Smith dressed well and liked to look nice. Later in life, she dressed in styles like Mary Lincoln. Carl Sandburg described her as quiet, polite, and very proper.
Her son William died by accident in 1861 while handling a gun. He was 26. Her other son, Isaac, joined the Union army during the Civil War.
People were not sure if Smith and Stevens had a romantic relationship. Stevens treated her with respect. Some neighbors thought they lived like a married couple, and some people even called her "Mrs. Stevens."
Smith was at Stevens’ side when he died. In his will, he gave her money and allowed her to choose furniture from his house. She also bought his house in Lancaster.
Stevens and Smith helped run the Underground Railroad, which helped escaped slaves. Their home had hidden spaces that may have been used to hide people.
Smith also helped wounded soldiers during the Battle of Gettysburg. She collected food and supplies and brought them to hospitals. After Stevens died, Smith ran a successful boarding house in Washington, D.C., and invested in property.