Eliza Paul Gurney

Born in Philadelphia on April 6, 1801, Eliza Paul Kirkbride Gurney became known as an American Quaker minister and poet. She began writing poetry young and carried that habit through much of her life, blending spiritual reflection with a strong sense of moral purpose.

In 1841 she married the English Quaker minister Joseph John Gurney. The two shared commitments to pacifism, abolition, and reform, and they traveled and spoke widely on those causes. After his death, she returned to the United States, settled in New Jersey, and continued an active public life as a traveling minister who met with political and religious leaders in both America and Europe.

Gurney is often remembered for her connection to Abraham Lincoln: she visited him at the White House during the Civil War, and they later exchanged letters. Alongside her ministry, she wrote poetry, memoir, and biographical work, leaving behind a record of a life devoted to conscience, faith, and social change.