Renowned History of Little Goody Twoshoes

The History of Little Goody Twoshoes was published by Isaiah Thomas of Worcester, Massachusetts in 1787. The author of Goody Twoshoes is unknown. It was first published in London by John Newbery. The story of Good Twoshoes described the tale of the orphan, Margery Meanwell, who went through life poor and ragged, with only a single shoe. The evil Lord Gripe evicts her family from his land causing the death of her parents and forcing her brother to go to sea for his livelihood. After this eviction, the Parson’s wife gives her a pair of shoes. Margery goes on to repay the evil of Lord Gripe with goodness, showing the quality of her virtue. She goes on to be a teacher and marries a squire. On her wedding day her brother returns exceptionally wealthy, gives her a large sum, and she is able to live happily ever after.

The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town. Literacy was expected of many New Englanders, as Puritan doctrine required everyone to read the Bible. The abundance of multiple Bibles, psalms, hymnodies, sermons, and morality tales reflects the Copp’s religious beliefs. Other highlights of the library include the works of Shakespeare, almanacs, historical and political texts, and travel narratives.

The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.

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This page was imported from Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Released by the Smithsonian Institution under CC0 through Smithsonian Open Access.

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