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.

Miss Brown had a reputation in literary circles before leaving college. She had published in magazines many of her poems and short stories. In 1898 and 1899 a series of articles under the heading of "Girl Gossip" were published in the St. Louis Globe Democrat, and signed with the pseudonym, Jean Neal. The first trip to Europe in 1899 provides the stimulus and inspiration for her first, published, children's book, "The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts", in 1900. Although this was followed by many other books none appears to have been so successful.

Frequently Miss Brown was asked to lecture. Usually her talks were about the writing of books for children, a subject upon which she held decided views. Her club memberships included the Saturday Morning Club, Folk Lore Society, Author's League, Poetry Club of America, and the New England Poetry Club of which she was president at one time.

Two outstanding friendships are apparent from these papers; one with Josephine Preston Peabody (Mrs. Lionel Marks), the performance of whose prize play Miss Brown attended in Stratford-on-Avon in 1910. The second was with Caroline Ticknor. Both of these women had interests and backgrounds which paralleled her own. Included with these papers is a tribute to Abby Farwell Brown which Miss Ticknor wrote, and published in the Boston Transcript, March 23, 1927, following her death earlier in the month.

Lacking in the collection is the correspondence which would have revealed more intimately the person, her charm and character. Only a few letters are included. Among them are notes from Robert Hillyer, Grace Hazard Conkling, Senator Lodge, Katherine Lee Bates, Jessie Rittenhouse, and Gamaliel Bradford. Included are four notes of sympathy sent to Ethel Brown after her sister's death in March, 1927.

Abby Farwell Brown was a prolific writer. There is here a very complete chronological collection of her stories, poems, and plays, beginning with her contributions to the "Catkin" in 1879, and continuing to the end of her life. Many of her poems were set to music and appear in collections of songs for school use. Most of her stories were written for children and it was in the field of children's books, perhaps, that she achieved her greatest success.

From the guide to the Papers, 1859-1927, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)