Elizabeth Van Lew

Biography

Elizabeth Van Lew, born in 1818, forged a life of purposeful action as she championed justice and comfort for the enslaved and supported the Union cause during the Civil War years. Her home was a place of refuge and resolve amid the turmoil of the era.

Her resilience and generosity ensured her influence long outlived her 1900 passing, and her gravesite at Shockoe Hill Cemetery marks the resting place of a daring humanitarian.