Parrish, Lydia, 1871-1953

Lydia Austin Parrish (1871-1953) was the wife of painter/illustrator, Maxfield Parrish. For many years she spent her winters in St. Simons Island, and her love of the islands led to the research for Slave songs of the Georgia Sea Islands. While doing the research for the book, she became interested in the fate of Loyalist families, and at the time of her death had a two-volume work on those families ready for publication.

From the description of Walter Charlton Hartridge, Jr. collection. Series XIII : Lydia Parrish papers, ca. 1926-1951 / Lydia Parrish. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 44416404

Lydia Austin Parrish (ca. 1872-ca. 1953) was born in New Jersey and was the wife of Maxfield Parrish, well-known American artist. For many years she spent her winters in her home on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she became interested in coastal Georgia history, especially the preservation of African American spirituals. She organized the Spiritual Singers' Society of Coastal Georgia; the group made regular appearances at the Cloister Hotel and other places. Parrish also collected spirituals, both words and music, which were published in her Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands (New York: 1942). For several years before her death, she collected materials for a book on the Georgia Loyalists who left for the Bahamas as refugees after the Revolutionary War.

From the description of Lydia Austin Parrish letters, 1947-1952. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 123765723