Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958

Variant names

Hide Profile

Conkling graduated from Smith College in 1899, was further educated in Germany and France and taught school in Connecticut and New York. After her marriage to Roscoe Platt Conkling in 1905 they lived in Mexico. She taught at Smith College from 1914 to 1947.

From the description of [Verses] [between 1920-1928] (Smith College). WorldCat record id: 191100770

Smith College, Class of 1899. Smith College, Professor, English, 1914-1947. Poet.

From the description of Grace Hazard Conkling papers, 1878-1958. (Smith College). WorldCat record id: 51249151

From the description of Golden mice, ca. 1930. (Smith College). WorldCat record id: 54036184

Grace Hazard was born on February 7, 1878 in New York to Christopher Grant Hazard and Frances Post Hazard. Having cultivated a skill and love for music from a young age, Conkling dreamed of devoting her life to music. After receiving a B.L. from Smith College in 1899, she spent a year teaching at the Graham School in New York before traveling to Europe where she studied music and languages in Germany and France, studying the organ with the illustrious Charles-Marie Widor. However, in her second year she fell ill from overwork and was forced to abandon the idea of music as a profession. She returned to the United States where she married Roscoe Platt Conkling in 1905 and moved to a remote ranch near Tampico, Mexico. Conkling cherished the time she spent there and Mexico is referred to in many of her poems.

After the birth of her second child, her husband deserted her and the children, and in 1914 she sued for divorce and accepted a teaching position at Smith College. It has been said that being a member of the Smith faculty was good for her creative side because Conkling soon became a very accomplished poet and had numerous books published by the time she retired in 1947.

Conkling's poetry and enthusiasm for teaching was recognized both by Smith and others in the academic community. Her poetry and short stories were published in numerous magazines including the Yale Review, Atlantic Monthly, and Harper's . She was also a member of the Poetry Society of America, the N.E. Poetry Society, the Author's Club of Boston, and the Women's University Club of New York. In 1930, Conkling was awarded an honorary MA from Smith College. She died on November 15, 1958 and was survived by her two daughters and three grandchildren.

From the guide to the Grace Hazard Conkling Papers RG 42., 1887-1992, (Smith College Archives)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Norreys Jephson O'Conor's letters to Grace Hazard Conkling MS 311., 1918-1932 Mortimer Rare Book Room
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Additional papers, ca. 1870-1922. Houghton Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1930. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Schauffler, Robert Haven, 1879-1964. ALS, 1916 June 9 : Greenbush Mass., to Mrs. Conklin. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
referencedIn William Ernest Hocking papers Houghton Library
creatorOf Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. Papers of Witter Bynner, 1913-1918. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Amy Lowell miscellaneous papers, 1915-1925. Houghton Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Grace Walcott Hazard Conkling [manuscript], 1907-1924. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Letter,1921 Dec 21, Northampton, Mass. [to] Mrs. Anna Catherine Markham, Staten Island, New York / Grace Hazard Conkling. Wagner College, Horrmann Library
referencedIn Martha Foote Crow Papers, 1885-1921. Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company correspondence and records, 1832-1944. Houghton Library
creatorOf O'Conor, Norreys Jephson, b. 1885. Norreys Jephson O'Conor's letters to Grace Hazard Conkling, 1918-1932. Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Morley, Christopher, 1890-1957. Papers of Christopher Darlington Morley [manuscript] 1915-53. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Autograph letter signed Grace Hazard Conkling to: Miss Bates December [?], [s.d.]. Wellesley College
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Grace Hazard Conkling papers, 1878-1958. Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. Letter to Grace Hazard Conkling, 1926 June 12. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Nichols-Shurtleff family. Papers, 1780-1953, (bulk: 1850-1940) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Peabody, Josephine Preston, 1874-1922. Papers, 1902-1981 (inclusive) 1913-1921 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Typed letter signed Grace Hazard Conkling to: "My dear Miss Bates" March 2, 1921. Wellesley College
creatorOf Lowes, John Livingston, 1867-1945. [Letters to Mrs. Conkling, 1920-1922] / John L. Lowes. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962. Papers, 1897-1930 Houghton Library
creatorOf Akins, Zoë, 1886-1958. Papers pertaining to "The Enchanted Years" [manuscript], 1919-1922. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Golden mice, ca. 1930. Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. Letters to Grace Hazard Conkling, 1910-1947. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Grace Hazard Conkling Papers RG 42., 1887-1992 Smith College Archives
referencedIn Witter Bynner papers, 1829-1965. Houghton Library
referencedIn Nichols-Shurtleff family. Papers, 1780-1953, (bulk: 1850-1940) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. Papers of Witter Bynner [manuscript] 1909-1964. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. [Verses] Smith College, Neilson Library
creatorOf Binyon, Laurence, 1869-1943. Laurence Binyon letters and poem, 1914-1935. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Conkling, Grace Hazard, 1878-1958. Autograph letter signed Grace Hazard Conkling to: Miss Bates November 9, 1924. Wellesley College
creatorOf Markham, Edwin, 1852-1940. Papers of Edwin Markham [manuscript], 1892-1931. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Sara Teasdale Collection, 1888-1934 University of Virginia. Library. Special Collections Dept.
creatorOf Taggard, Genevieve, 1894-1948. Letters of Genevieve Taggard [manuscript] 1925-43. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn New Yorker records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Vinal, Harold, 1891-1965. Harold Vinal letter to Grace Hazard Conkling, 1921 Aug. 23. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Teasdale, Sara, 1884-1933. Papers of Sara Teasdale [manuscript], 1888-1934 (bulk 1905-1933). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Butterfield, Elizabeth Merz. The nightingales of Flanders / words by Grace Hazard Conkling ; music by Elizabeth Merz Butterfield. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bates, Katharine Lee, 1859-1929. person
associatedWith Binyon, Laurence, 1869-1943. person
correspondedWith Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962 person
associatedWith Brown, Abbie Farwell, 1871-1927 person
associatedWith Butterfield, Elizabeth Merz. person
associatedWith Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968. person
associatedWith Conkling, Hilda, 1910- person
associatedWith Crow, Martha Foote, 1854-1924 person
correspondedWith Hocking, William Ernest, 1873-1966 person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925. person
associatedWith Lowes, John Livingston, 1867-1945. person
associatedWith Markham, Anna Catherine, 1858-1939, person
associatedWith Markham, Edwin, 1852-1940. person
associatedWith Morley, Christopher, 1890-1957. person
associatedWith New England Poetry Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith New Yorker Magazine, Inc corporateBody
associatedWith Nichols family. family
associatedWith NICHOLS-SHURTLEFF FAMILY family
associatedWith O'Conor, Norreys Jephson, b. 1885 person
associatedWith O'Donnell, Michael S., 1847- person
associatedWith Peabody, Josephine Preston, 1874-1922. person
associatedWith Schauffler, Robert Haven, 1879-1964. person
associatedWith Smith College corporateBody
associatedWith Taggard, Genevieve, 1894-1948. person
associatedWith Taylor, Anne L. person
associatedWith Taylor, Paul Forrester, Mrs. person
associatedWith Teasdale, Sara, 1884-1933. person
associatedWith Vinal, Harold, 1891-1965. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1878-02-07

Death 1958-11-15

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64x56q5

Ark ID: w64x56q5

SNAC ID: 15599645