During the lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor.

In her autobiography Letters of Life, Sigourney describes her relation to her parents, her decision to care for them, and her intent to avoid marriage because it would interfere with this relationship.

I felt that their absorbing love could never be repaid by the longest life-service, and that the responsibility of an only child, their sole prop and solace, would be strictly regarded by Him who readeth the heart.

I had seen aged people surrounded by indifferent persons, who considered their care a burden, and could not endure the thought that my tender parents, who were without near relatives, should be thrown upon the fluctuating kindness of hirelings and strangers.

To me, my father already seemed aged, though scarcely sixty; and I said, in my musing hours, Shall he, who never denied me aught, or spoke to me otherwise than in love-tones, stretch forth his hands in their weakness, "and find none to gird him"?

Frances Manwaring Caulkins entered the Norwich school in September 1811, and remained a very warm friend and frequent correspondent with Sigourney thereafter.

Sigourney described Wadsworth as her "kind patron" and says that he "took upon himself the whole responsibility of contracting publishers, gathering subscriptions, and even correcting the proof sheets".

[7] After her death, John Greenleaf Whittier composed a poem for her memorial tablet: She sang alone, ere womanhood had known The gift of song which fills the air to-day: Tender and sweet, a music all her own May fitly linger where she knelt to pray.

[8] The main themes of Sigourney's writing include death, responsibility, religion — a strong belief in God and the Christian faith — and work.

[9] She enjoyed substantial popularity in her lifetime and earned several nicknames, including "the American Hemans", the "Sweet Singer of Hartford", and the "female Milton".

Sigourney promotes the importance of being agreeable throughout the book, and suggests ways to take notes, along with advice on how to paraphrase what one has read.

In this book, Sigourney focuses on pronunciation and conversation, and claims that women should train in enunciation even if they are not going to be speaking publicly.

Her writings were characterized by fluency, grace and quiet reflection on nature, domestic and religious life, and philanthropic questions; but they were also often sentimental, didactic and commonplace.

An early advocate for social reform in slavery and in internal migration, Sigourney felt obligated to use her position to help oppressed members of society.

In her posthumously published autobiography, "Letters of Life", Sigourney stated that she wrote with the hope of 'being an instrument of good'.

According to Teed:As a dedicated, successful writer, Lydia Sigourney violated essential elements of the very gender roles she celebrated.

In the process, she offered young, aspiring women writers around the country an example of the possibilities of achieving both fame and economic reward (19).Rev.

As a result, during the lyceum movement that flourished in the United States in the 19th century, women named literary societies and study clubs in her honor, including the following examples:[22] There doubtless were many other such societies that were founded during the lyceum movement and named in honor of Lydia Huntley Sigourney.