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Her father, Robin Eldridge, fought with his two brothers in the American Revolution and was promised “freedom, with the additional premium of 200 acres of land”. At the close of the war, the brothers gained their freedom but were paid in useless Continental money and were thus unable to travel and claim their land.

Much of the narrative focuses on Eldridge’s industriousness. She begins working at the age of 10 and is known for her spinning, weaving, and “A PREMIUM” cheese (p. 31). She also functions, unofficially, as a nurse and caretaker for her siblings and their children over the years. Due to her industriousness and thrift, Eldridge is able to purchase a lot and build a home without needing any credit. Several years later, she expands the home, which allows her to live on the property and take on a tenant (p. 68). Wishing to purchase two nearby lots, Eldridge borrows money from a “gentleman of Warwick” at the rate of ten percent; she agrees to “pay the interest, and renew the note annually” (p. 68 -69).

Shortly thereafter, Eldridge contracts typhus fever while away from home and is rumored to have died. When she eventually returns home, she finds that her lender has died and his brother, the heir, has “laid an attachment on Ellen’s property” in order to regain the funds owed—$240. After learning that Eldridge is indeed alive, he promises not to distress her further for the funds. She agrees to continue paying the interest.

By hard work and financial prudence, she was able to purchase a lot of land on Spring Street, in Providence, where she built a house, which she at several times enlarged until it became, to her, a valuable property, and was nearly paid for. It had cost about US$2000; on it there was a loan of US$240. On this loan, she paid an annual interest of ten per cent. Having an opportunity to purchase another estate adjoining her own, which materially improved her means of access to her house, she bought it for US$2000, upon which she paid US$500 cash and gave a mortgage of US$1500 on her entire estate.

Being taken sick, she rented her property and went away to recover her strength. While gone, the gentleman from whom she borrowed the US$240 died, leaving his estate to his brother. This brother attached Elleanor's property, sold it by the sheriff, and he himself bought it for exactly the amount of the mortgage. Elleanor returned to find herself deprived in a moment of an estate which had cost about US$4000.

She was not a woman who would submit quietly to such proceedings, and immediately set herself to work to obtain justice. General Ray Greene, Attorney General, assisted her, as did many of the best citizens of Providence, to whom she was well known. To assist in raising money, Memoirs of Elleanor Eldridge was written, and several editions sold. A companion volume, entitled Elleanor's Second Book, was published in 1847. These efforts were successful. Eldridge recovered her property after paying heavily for it, and lived to old age. She died about 1845.