Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965

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American writer who graduated from Bryn Mawr College (class of 1903). Among her published writings are Willa Cather: A Memoir and Robert Frost: The Trial by Existence.

From the description of Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant papers, 1949-1964. (Bryn Mawr College). WorldCat record id: 44712504

Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant (1881-1965), author and journalist,wrote for The New Republic and other magazines and published six books,including Fire Under the Andes (1927), Willa Cather: A Memoir (1953) and Robert Frost: The Trial by Existence (1960).

From the description of Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant papers, 1903-1965. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702132861

Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant, eldest daughter of Charles Spencer and Elizabeth Blake Shepley Sergeant, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1881. She attended Miss Winsor's School in Boston 1894-99 and was graduated from Bryn Mawr in 1903. Between 1903 and 1913 she made several extended visits to France, attending lectures at the Sorbonne and meeting a number of artists and authors. Her volunteer social work in Boston and New York inspired her first article, "Toilers of the Tenements," published in 1910 by McClure's . The editor, Willa Cather, befriended and encouraged her. In 1914 Sergeant became one of the original contributors to The New Republic, specializing in French literature and culture. Her first book, French Perspectives, was published in 1916. She returned to Paris the following year as a war correspondent for The New Republic . While touring a battlefield in October 1918, Sergeant was severely injured by a land mine and hospitalized for several months. She recounted the experience in Shadow-Shapes: Journal of a Wounded Woman (1920).

On the advice of her doctor, Sergeant moved to New Mexico in 1920, where she came in contact with the Taos writers colony and the Indian rights movement. She worked with the American Indian Defense Association, both as a volunteer and on assignments for its executive secretary, John Collier. She published more than a dozen articles on New Mexico and the Pueblo Indians, mostly in The Nation and The New Republic . Sergeant returned to New York at times, particularly to work on a series of profiles of prominent Americans. Fourteen of these were collected in her 1927 book, Fire under the Andes, which included her first essay on Robert Frost. Her only novel, Short as any Dream, appeared in 1929.

Sergeant studied with Carl Jung and Toni Woolf in Zurich from 1929 to 1931. In the mid-1930s she was employed by John Collier, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and reported on Pueblo social conditions and reactions to the Wheeler-Howard Act. She also joined Writer's Editions. Sergeant sold her New Mexico house soon after this, however, and returned to New York, eventually settling in Rockland County. In both the 1930s and 1940s, she continued to publish magazine articles, including profiles of authors and popular treatments of psychological topics. She also began work on her two full-length biographical studies. Willa Cather: A Memoir was published in 1953. Despite her ill health and failing eyesight, in 1960 she published the well-reviewed Robert Frost: The Trial by Experience . Sergeant had planned to follow this with an autobiography, but she did not live to complete it. She died in New York on January 26, 1965.

From the guide to the Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant papers, 1903-1965, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Thompson, Lawrance Roger, 1906-1973. Papers of Lawrance Thompson, 1892-1967. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Mark Anthony De Wolfe Howe additional papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Agnes de Lima collection of Alyse Gregory, 1924-1968, 1939-1967 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. Papers, 1897-1963. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn John Collier papers, 1910-1987 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIb, 1807-1825 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Letter, ca. 1964, Piermont, N.Y., to Kathleen Morrison. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn William Ernest Hocking papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Virginia Faulkner, Papers, 1930-1980 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library
creatorOf Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant papers Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn John Collier papers Yale University Library
referencedIn M. A. Howe correspondence with Jack W. C. Hagstrom, 1956-1965. Houghton Library
creatorOf Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. Typed letter, signed for her by Miss Bloom, her secretary : [New York], 21 December 1940, to Elsie [Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Alyse Gregory papers, 1888-1982, 1939-1967 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Century Company records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Burroughs, Louise Guerber, 1900-1985. [Autograph journal of Louise Guerber Burroughs, recounting her first meetings and early friendship with Willa Cather] Drew University Library, Rose Memorial Library
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Correspondence to Van Wyck Brooks, 1921-1963. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Witter Bynner papers, 1829-1965. Houghton Library
referencedIn Learned Hand papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. Papers of Willa Sibert Cather 1899-1949. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Faulkner, Virginia, 1913-1980. Papers, 1930-1980. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. Autograph letter signed : 60 South Washington Square [New York], to [Pauline] Goldmark, [1911 or 1912?] "Tuesday". Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Howe, M. A. De Wolfe (Mark Antony De Wolfe), 1864-1960. Correspondence with Jack W. C. Hagstrom, 1956-1965. Houghton Library
referencedIn Moore, Marianne, 1887-1972. Papers of Marianne Moore, 1928-1965. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Van Doren, Mark, 1894-1972. Letters from Mark Van Doren [manuscript] 1938-60. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. Letters (68) and postcards (8), most signed : various places, to Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant, 1910-1946. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Barrett, Clifton Waller, 1901-. Papers of the Clifton Waller Barrett family, 1960-1991. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Robert Frost [manuscript] : The trial by existence (galley proof) uncorrected, ca. 1970. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company correspondence and records, 1832-1944. Houghton Library
creatorOf Thompson, Lawrance Roger, 1906-1973. Papers of Lawrance R. Thompson, 1935-1971. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Frost, Robert, 1874-1963. Correspondence, 1906-1963. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. Papers of Willa Sibert Cather [manuscript] 1899-1949. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Swenson, May. Letter, 1957 Sept. 3, Peterboro, N.H. to Robert Frost. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Learned Hand papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Letters, 1957 Jan. 28-1958 July 21, to Kathleen Morrison. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Warren, Robert Penn, 1905-1989. Papers of Robert Penn Warren [manuscript], 1944-1963. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant papers, 1949-1964. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
creatorOf Sergeant, Elizabeth Shepley, 1881-1965. Papers of Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant [manuscript] 1894-1961. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abercrombie, Catherine, person
associatedWith Adams, Frederick Benjamin, person
associatedWith American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934. person
associatedWith Ballantine, Lesley Frost, person
associatedWith Barrett, Clifton Waller, 1901- person
associatedWith Bennett, Isadora, person
associatedWith Bertine, Eleanor, 1887-1968. person
associatedWith Blumenthal, Joseph, 1897-1990 person
associatedWith Bourne, Randolph Silliman, 1886-1918. person
associatedWith Brooks, Gladys, person
associatedWith Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963 person
associatedWith Brower, Reuben Arthur, 1908-1975 person
associatedWith Brown, E. K. (Edward Killoran), 1905-1951. person
associatedWith Burroughs, Louise Guerber, 1900-1985. person
associatedWith Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968 person
associatedWith Campbell, Joseph, 1904-1987. person
associatedWith Cather, Willa, 1873-1947. person
correspondedWith Century Company corporateBody
associatedWith Chaubaud, Auguste, 1882-1955. person
associatedWith Collier, John, 1884-1968. person
associatedWith Copeland, Charles Townsend. person
associatedWith de Lima, Agnes. person
correspondedWith Dellenbaugh, Frederick Samuel, 1853-1935 person
associatedWith Edel, Leon, 1907-1997. person
associatedWith Edward MacDowell Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Ely, Gertrude. person
associatedWith Ely, Gertrude. person
associatedWith Farjean, Eleanor, 1881-1965, person
associatedWith Faulkner, Virginia, 1913-1980. person
associatedWith Frankfurter, Felix, 1882-1965. person
associatedWith Frost, Elinor Miriam White. person
associatedWith Frost, Robert, 1874-1963. person
associatedWith Goldman, Hetty. person
associatedWith Greenslet, Ferris, 1875-1959 person
associatedWith Gregory, Alyse, 1884-1967. person
associatedWith Hale, Nancy, 1908-1988 person
associatedWith Halévy, Daniel, 1872-1962. person
associatedWith Hand, Learned, 1872-1961. person
associatedWith Henry Holt and Co. (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Hocking, William Ernest, 1873-1966 person
associatedWith Holmes, John, 1904-1962 person
associatedWith Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1841-1935. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Howard, Sidney Coe, 1891-1939. person
associatedWith Howe, M. A. De Wolfe (Mark Antony De Wolfe), 1864-1960. person
associatedWith J.B. Lippincott Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Jung, C. G(Carl Gustav), 1875-1961. person
associatedWith Lewis, Edith. person
associatedWith Long, Haniel, 1888-1956. person
associatedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. person
associatedWith Luhan, Mabel Dodge, 1879-1962. person
associatedWith MacVeagh, Lincoln, 1890-1972 person
associatedWith McCord, David Thompson Watson, 1897-1997 person
associatedWith Miss Winsor's School. corporateBody
associatedWith Moore, Marianne, 1887-1972. person
associatedWith Morrison, Kathleen, 1898- person
associatedWith O'Neill, Carlotta. person
associatedWith O'Neill, Eugene, 1888-1953. person
associatedWith Otis, Raymond. person
associatedWith Peterkin, Julia Mood, 1880-1961. person
associatedWith Sergeant family. family
associatedWith Sergeant family. family
associatedWith Sherwood, Carrie Miner. person
associatedWith Spire, André. person
associatedWith Spire, André. person
associatedWith Swenson, May. person
associatedWith Thompson, Lawrance Roger, 1906-1973. person
associatedWith Thompson, Lawrence Sidney, 1916-1986 person
associatedWith Untermeyer, Jean Starr, 1886-1970 person
associatedWith Van Doren, Mark, 1894-1972 person
associatedWith Warren, Robert Penn, 1905-1989. person
associatedWith Wescott, Glenway, 1901-1987. person
associatedWith Whicher, Harriet Fox, person
associatedWith Wilder, Thornton, 1897-1975, person
associatedWith Winsor, Mary Pickard. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New Mexico
France
Paris (France)
Paris (France)
Southwest, New.
France
Southwest, New
Taos (N.M.)
New Mexico
Taos (N.M.)
Subject
Authors, American
Education, Secondary
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Interpersonal relations
Personality
Psychology
Pueblo Indians
Reporters and reporting
Self-actualization (Psychology)
Single women
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1914-1918
Women
Occupation
War correspondents
Authors
Journalists
Activity

Person

Birth 1881-04-23

Death 1965-01-26

Information

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Ark ID: w6rf68d3

SNAC ID: 9448085