Marietta Holley - Knowledge

205: 924: 31: 117: 196:, she pursued her studies at home. At fourteen, she ended her formal education in order to supplement the family income by giving piano lessons. When she was a young girl she was given to poetry, and wrote a great deal. She thought she should like to become a great painter; then she decided to be a poet, but finally abandoned both intentions. Holley commenced her career as a writer when in her teens, though she published nothing until 1876. 883: 304:. She wrote over 25 books, including one collection of poems, two dramas and one long poem, between 1873 and 1914. Among her novels was a 10-book series that detailed the travels and married life of Samantha and Josiah Allen as they journey outside Samantha's rural hometown, which was similar to Holley's own. Holley herself spent most of her life close to her family's farm; aside from 943: 895: 851: 830: 809: 784: 763: 346:

Quaint, grotesque humor and pathetic homeliness of speech were the weapons she used to make known the wrongs of her sex and the evils of the times. In her prose work, she mostly employed the speech of half-taught people, writing of their ludicrous blunders, and turning ridicule against ancient

165:, Holley is regarded as one of America's most significant early female humorists. Her work appealed to all classes of society. Her readers were scattered over the entire world, and included men and women of every station and grade. Her books were widely read in Europe. 148:

to comment on U.S. society and politics. Holley enjoyed a prolific writing career and was a bestselling author in the late 19th century, though she was largely forgotten by the time of her death. Her writing was frequently compared to that of

343:, she brought to her aid the very people whose sufferings she aimed to relieve, and whose evil deeds she hoped to check. She was not only quaint in expression but magnetic, and her sentiments were often touchingly and pathetically strong. 382:

Josiah Allen’s Wife as a P.A. and P.I.: Designed as a Bright and Shining Light, To Pierce the Fogs of Error and Injustice That Surround Society and Josiah, And to Bring More Clearly to View the Path That Leads Straight on to Virtue and

249:

that she first adopted the pen-name "Josiah Allen's Wife". That pen name and "Jemyma" were a protest against the too musical pen-names of literary aspirants. Those articles attracted the attention of Elijah Bliss, president of the

258:. Against the protest of his company, he brought out Holley's work. He urged her to write a book for him, which she did, and it was an immediate success, and was republished at once in England and Canada. The name of the book was 371:'My Opinions and Betsey Bobbet's: Designed as a Beacon Light, To guide Women to Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, But which May Be read by Members of the Sterner Sect, Without Injury to Themselves or The Book 293:(New York, 1887), revealed strength and tenderness, but failed to suit the popular taste because they were wanting in the grotesque humor and pathetic homeliness of style which characterized her prose works. 232:. Her first pen-name was "Jemyma". The editor of that paper encouraged the young aspirant with some timely praise, as did Charles J. Peterson, for whom she wrote later. The editors of the 277:, a book of stories not in dialect, was published in 1882. These books were brought out by the American Publishing Company, and the same firm published an illustrated poem of hers called 315:

Her books were translated into other languages and brought her a comfortable income. Many contemporary writers and suffragists held her in high regard; her famous friends included

285:, (New York, 1885) was wrought out through her horror of intemperance and her desire to see the young of her country saved from the evils of strong drink. This was followed by 312:, she never actually visited the places to which she sent her fictional protagonists; she instead depended on maps, guidebooks, and descriptions for the necessary details. 1034: 323:. Anthony frequently asked Holley to give speeches at suffrage conventions because of Holley's support of women's suffrage, but she refused public appearances. 670: 989: 1024: 1039: 225:

and joined the Adams Village Baptist Church. Her father died when she was 25, and Holley took charge of the farm and care of her sick mother and sister.

240:

and several other weekly and monthly journals. Her articles at that time were mostly poems, and were widely copied in the United States and in Europe.

204: 1014: 1009: 1004: 863:

A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life

999: 1019: 192:

She received the rudiments of an English education at a neighboring school, and later, with the exception of teachers in music and

181:, July 16, 1836. She was the youngest of Mary Taber and John Milton Holley's seven children. The family lived on a small farm in 918: 887: 222: 994: 948: 899: 446: 305: 301: 182: 60: 515: 454: 567: 539: 531: 501: 436: 405: 397: 389: 370: 1029: 300:

After Holley became a successful novelist, she built a mansion called "Bonnie View" near her family's home in

380: 189:. Her maternal grandfather, "Old Squire Taber" as he was called, went to Pierrepont Manor from Rhode Island. 964: 523: 421: 413: 158: 245: 471: 255: 251: 949:

Marietta Holley's 1890 Book 'Samantha Among the Bretheren' has been serialized in Mister Ron's Basement

796:

The Growth of a Century: as Illustrated in the History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894

984: 979: 559: 507: 116: 575: 174: 43: 840: 914: 185:, on the road leading from Adams to Pierrepont Manor. The Holleys went to Jefferson county from 909: 819: 800: 773: 359:

Holley never married. A maiden sister resided with her. Holley died March 1, 1926, at age 89.

336: 30: 928: 867: 495: 316: 340: 193: 178: 162: 376:. Josiah Allen's Wife. Hartford Conn., : American Publishing Company, 1873, c. 1872 592:, Published serially. Watertown Daily Times, Watertown, N.Y., 5 February to 9 April 1931 141: 103: 236:

published what they called "a sweet little poem" from her pen. She wrote also for the

973: 855: 834: 813: 794: 788: 767: 533:

Samantha Vs. Josiah: Being the Story of the Borrowed Automobile and What Became of It

351:, and no one forgets the crushing exposures of fraud and oppression which she makes. 407:

My Wayward Pardner; or, My Trials with Josiah, America, the Widow Bump, and Etcetery

347:

wrongs, venerated because they are ancient. Every one laughs at the absurdities of

320: 309: 861: 210: 954: 778:. Vol. 4, Issues 1-12 (Public domain ed.). C.L. Sherrill & Company. 955:

Marietta Holley (links, bibliography, and pictures at the American Authors site)

332: 186: 905: 402:. Josiah Allen's Wife. Hartford, Conn. : American Publishing Company, 1880 882: 150: 959: 386:. Josiah Allen's Wife. Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company, c. 1877 737: 154: 129: 894: 937: 839:

Porter, Robert Percival; MacMillan, Thomas C.; Jones, William P. (1887).

477: 410:. Josiah Allen's Wife. Hartford Conn., American Publishing Company, 1880 965:

Marietta Holley site created by South Jefferson Central School Students

145: 933: 228:

Her first appearance in print was in a newspaper published in the

203: 854: