Pauline Cushman was born on June 10th 1833 as Harriet Wood in New Orleans. She became an actress in the early 1850 and soon changed her name to Pauline Cushman after performing in Thomas Placide's play Varieties. She met her husband, Charles Dickinson, in the theater due to the fact that he was a theater musician as well as a music teacher. Together they had a son and a daughter. Their son was named Charles and was born in 1858, and their daughter was named Ida and was born in 1868. Her husband was part of the regimental band of the 41st Ohio Infantry. During the Shiloh campaign he was discharged due to a disease called chronic dysentery. He returned to Cleveland where he later died in December of 1862. Pauline continued to tour the country acting and in 1863 she became a spy. While spying and acting across the country her children were left with in-laws in Ohio. Both of her children died with in-laws while she was away. Her son died in 1864 and her daughter in 1868.
This website was made by Krista Yarbrough on May 25th 2008.
