Brooks, Eleanor Stimson

Eleanor Brooks was the mother of Charles Van Wyck Brooks, wife of Van Wyck Brooks.

Eleanor Stimson had been a childhood friend to Van Wyck Brooks in Plainfield, New Jersey, where both grew up. In 1902 Eleanor left Plainfield to attend Wellesley College, from which she graduated in 1906. After her graduation she departed for Europe, where she lived for three years in France and Italy. On returning to the United States, she went to live in Berkeley, California. In 1911, after a long and troubled courtship as well as long periods of separation, Eleanor married Van Wyck, and the couple lived in Carmel, California while Van Wyck taught at Stanford University. The couple lived variously in England (1913-1915), New York (1915-1925) and then Westport, Connecticut (1925-1946). During this time Eleanor gave birth to two sons, Charles Van Wyck (b. 1912) and Oliver Kenyon (b. 1916), translated French literary and philosophical works, supported her husband through a prolonged depression (1926-1931) and oversaw the publishing of his Life of Emerson (published 1932). She died in August, 1946 after several periods of illness.

Eleanor Stimson, daughter of painters John Ward Stimson and Eleanor Maxson Stimson, had been a childhood friend to Van Wyck Brooks in Plainfield, New Jersey, where both grew up. In 1902 Eleanor left Plainfield to attend Wellesley College, from which she graduated in 1906. After her graduation she departed for Europe, where she lived for three years in France and Italy with her mother and brother, Frank. On returning to the United States, she went to live in Berkeley, California. In 1911, after a long and troubled courtship as well as long periods of separation, Eleanor married Van Wyck Brooks, and the couple lived in Carmel, California while Van Wyck taught at Stanford University. The couple lived variously in England (1913-1915), New York (1915-1925) and then Westport, Connecticut (1925-1946). During this time Eleanor gave birth to two sons, Charles Van Wyck (b. 1912) and Oliver Kenyon (b. 1916), translated French literary and philosophical works, supported her husband through a prolonged depression (1926-1931) and oversaw the publishing of his Life of Emerson (published 1932). She died in early September, 1946 after several periods of illness.