Petronella Moens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Petronella Moens (16 November 1762 – 4 January 1843) was a blind Dutch writer, editor, and feminist. She managed a paper in 1788–1797, in which she spoke for political issues such as slavery and women suffrage.
_door_Margaretha_Cornelia_Boellaard_(1795-1872).jpg)
Petronella Moens | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Petronella Moens (1820/1824) by Margaretha Cornelia Boellaard | |
| Born | 16 November 1762 |
| Died | 4 January 1843 (aged 80) |
| Occupation | Writer |
Biography
Petronella Moens was born on 16 November 1762 in Kûbaard, the Netherlands, the third child of Petrus Moens, a pastor, and Maria Lycklama à Nijeholt and grew up in Ossendrecht and Aardenburg. Moens's mother died in 1769 while giving birth to her sister Baukje.[1] That same year, Moens contracted smallpox while staying in IJzendijke and was struck blind.[2] Despite her disability, she would write dozens of poems and books, such as Songbook for the Churches and its 432 songs. In 1785, she received a gold medal from the Amsteldamsch Dicht- en Letterlievend Genootschap for her poem De waare christian and would by the end of her life possess ten such awards.[3]
