Julia A. Tevis

Julia A. Tevis
1860 portrait by Charles V. Bond
Born	Julia Ann Hieronymous (1799-12-05)December 5, 1799 Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky
Died	April 21, 1880(1880-04-21) (aged 80) Shelbyville, Shelby County, Kentucky
Nationality	American
Occupation	teacher
Years active	1819–79
Known for	founding Science Hill Female Academy

Julia A. Tevis (December 5, 1799 – April 21, 1880) was a pioneer educator of women from Kentucky. After teaching for several years in Virginia, she founded the Science Hill Female Academy in Shelbyville and led the institution to gain a national reputation for excellence. Teaching her students math and science, rather than how to be accomplished seamstresses, Tevis prepared young women for colleges.

Julia Ann Hieronymous was born on December 5, 1799, near Winchester, Clark County, Kentucky to Mary "Polly" (née Bush) and Pendleton Hieronymus Her father's family were German Methodists and her mother's family were English Baptists Hieronymous was the oldest daughter and second child in the family. Though she began her schooling in Clark County, studying with Mr. Pettichord, when she was seven years old, the Hieronymous family moved to Winchester, Virginia, as they felt schooling opportunities would be better. She attended the female academy there until 1813, when they moved again to the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D. C..

In Georgetown, Hieronymous studied drawing, embroidery, music and French with various private tutors. She enjoyed a privileged life, meeting dignitaries and attending festivities when Congress was in session. During the War of 1812, Hieronymous was barely able to flee during the British attack on Washington. In 1815, she entered a finishing school run by an Englishwoman, Mrs. Stone and graduated when she was nineteen years old. A business reversal of her father, required that Hieronymous earn her own living.

At twenty, Hieronymous began teaching at a school in Wytheville, Virginia. After teaching a little over a year in Wytheville, she moved to Washington County, Virginia to teach the daughter of a general who lived in Abingdon. When her father died, Hieronymous brought her mother and sister to live with her and took on the responsibility for their care. She converted to Methodism and met a circuit rider, John Tevis, with whom she had a brief courtship. On March 9, 1824, Hieronymous and Tevis married and traveled to Kentucky on their honeymoon trip to see the property his parents had given them as a wedding gift. She convinced John to allow her to open a school in the home.