Dorothea Dix – One of the Great Women of the 1800s Every now and then a truly exceptional person has left a mark on the growth of humanity. Dorothea Dix was an exceptional woman. She wrote children's books, was a school teacher and contributed to prison reform. Some of his most important work involves making mental health institutions a better place for the patients who live there. Dorothea Dix gave a lot to humanity and her successes are still felt today, especially in the treatment of people with mental disabilities. However, Dix began with very humble origins. Dorothea Dix was born in Hampden, Maine in 1802. Her mother was not very mentally stable and her father was a violent alcoholic. The Dixes moved from Maine to Vermont just before the British War of 1812. Then, after the war, they moved to Worcester, MA. While in Worcester, the Dixes had two more children, both sons. The family eventually split due to the mother's mental state and the father's alcoholism.1 Dorothea Dix and her two brothers ended up moving to Boston to live with their paternal grandmother Dorothea Lynde, who was the wife of Dr. Elijah Dix. 2 Dix helped in raising his siblings as he had done at his parents' home. Grandma tried to instill her puritanical ways of the wealthy Bostonians in Dix's mind. Grandma Dix tried to turn young Dorothea into a good Boston girl, but that wasn't in the cards for young Dix. Her grandmother had given her dance lessons and also her private seamstress. Dix disliked this lifestyle and donated some of his clothing and food to the poor; which had infuriated his grandmother. This made Grandma so angry that she sent you... middle of paper... Patterson Smith, 1967Gollaher, David. Voice for the Mad: The Life of Dorothea Dix, New York. Free printing. 1995 Marshall, S. E. . Dorothea Dix, forgotten Samaritan. Hill chapel. University of North Carolina Press. 1937