The descendants of the eminent American Philhellene Samuel Gridley Howe in Greece

 

The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP) and the Philhellenism Museum had the pleasure and honor of hosting nine descendants of the American Philhellene medical doctor Samuel Gridley Howe (1801-1876) in Greece.

The descendants of this iconic Philhellene, who participated in the Greek War of Independence and contributed to the reconstruction of the newly established Greek state by offering humanitarian aid and financial support, visited the Philhellenism Museum, the Philhellenes’ Monument at the War Museum, the Acropolis, as well as the island of Aegina, where a monument dedicated to their ancestor stands at the harbor.

In coordination with Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias, Samuel Howe undertook the construction of the first harbor with a pier for the newly independent Greek state, located in Aegina. Funding was provided through donations from American citizens, raised via fundraising campaigns organized by Howe in the United States. The construction work was carried out by refugees of the Greek War of Independence, primarily from Athens, who received a basic daily wage. Furthermore, as an experienced surgeon, he treated the wounded and organized the health infrastructure on the island (1828-1830).

Howe’s descendants were welcomed by the Mayor of Aegina, Mr. Giannis Zorbas, at the town hall. The reception included a ceremony, a video screening on the history of Samuel Howe, speeches, and an exchange of symbolic gifts. Howe’s descendants presented the Mayor with a book containing their ancestor’s journal from the period of his participation in the Greek War of Independence, while the SHP presented a medal bearing the portrait of this great benefactor of Greece.

The Philhellenism Museum preserves in its collections personal belongings of Lord Byron and Samuel Howe, as well as documents and books published by the latter in support of Greece. The co-existence of their relics under the same roof reflects the deep and enduring connection between these two eminent Philhellenes: Lord Byron was the ideological role model who inspired the young medical doctor Howe to leave America and fight in Greece.

You may find Samuel Gridley Howe’s biography, here.

For information: info@phmus.org