Washington's first printed verses appeared at the age of fourteen. From her Clover Street Seminary days, her verses frequently appeared in print, with occasional prose sketches. After graduation, she devoted three years to teaching and was at the time of her marriage preceptress of the
Collegiate Institute in
Brockport, New York. In
Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1874, Washington became a leader in the temperance crusade movement, and in response to the needs of the time, became an effective public speaker. Her first address in temperance work, outside of her own city, was given in the Hall of Representatives in
Springfield, Illinois. She became better-known to the public through commendatory press reports, which led to repeated and urgent calls for lectures. During the succeeding years, she was largely engaged in WCTU work, having given addresses in twenty-four States and extended her efforts from the Atlantic to the Pacific states. She was involved in the campaigns for constitutional prohibition in
Iowa,
Kansas,
Maine, and other States. In 1887, she published
Echoes of Song, a volume containing numerous selections from her poetical writings from early girlhood. Her subsequent contributions, with selections from her first volume, were published under the title of ''Memory's Casket
(Buffalo, 1891). She also contributed to the Magazine of Poetry'', and many other periodicals, and some of her hymns were sung throughout the country. ==Personal life==