Abbie Farwell Brown, 1871-1927

Such biographical material as is found with the papers is unorganized, and for the most part must be gathered from newspaper articles. These sketches published in the Sunday issues of the Boston Post, December 14, 1902, and Boston Herald, January 10, 1904, give appraisals and pictures of such contemporary writers as Katherine Lee Bates, Margaret Deland, Alice Brown, and others. Abby Farwell Brown was born in Boston, August 21, 1871, in the family home on Beacon Hill, one of the two daughters of Benjamin and Clara (Neal) Brown. Her entire life was spent in this home, the season's interspersed with holidays in the nearby countryside, or with travelling in Europe. She was surrounded from childhood with a family tradition that was New England to the core.

Of her school associations the papers show she was valedictorian at Bowdoin School in 1886. This was followed by attendance at the Latin School in Boston. Here she was co-organizer and editor of a school paper, "The Jabberwock", to which she made frequent contributions until graduation in 1891. During the years 1891-1892 and 1893-1894 Abby Brown was enrolled at Radcliffe College, and took a leading part in all the literary and dramatic activities on campus.

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