Mary Gay Humphreys Explained

Other Names:Henry Somerville
Elinor Gray
Birth Date:1843
Birth Place:Ripley, Ohio

Mary Gay Humphreys (1843 - 1915) was an American journalist and author. She is best known for her writings in multiple news outlets, and her books including one on Catherine Schuyler, a socialite in Colonial America.

Life

She was born in Ripley, Ohio[1] in 1843 to William Smith Humphreys and Henrietta Somerville Write and died in 1915.[2] She served as a nurse in the Civil War and the Philippines.

Writings

Humphreys wrote in multiple periodicals including The Art Amateur, Scribner's Sons,[3] Harper's Bazaar,[4] Harper's Weekly,[5] The Evening Sun,[6] and The Chicago Inter-Ocean.[7] In 1885, she co-authored, using the pen name Elinor Gray, a book with American Christian author, William Boardman. The book was called Skilful Susy: A Book of Fairs and Bazars, and it reviewed ouvrages de dames, fancy work, and other craft-work required in an 18th century household. Her next book, Catherine Schuyler, was a biography of Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler who was born in colonial New York to a prominent Dutch family and provides insight into the daily toils of upper-class 18th century women.

Humphreys then used the nom-de-plume, Henry Somerville, for her next two books. When Jack Racer was first published, the news described the author Henry Somerville as a native of Ohio who worked in the newspaper business and who had been encouraged by his mother to write fiction.[8] Later it was revealed that Somerville was the nom-de-plume of Humphreys.[9] [10] Humphreys went on to publish a sequel, Racer of Illinois, in 1902.

Her final book, Missionary Explorers Among the American Indians, was included as a volume in Scribner's in 1913. The article was devoted to the lives of six American missionaries: John Eliot, Samson Occum, David Brainerd, Marcus Whitman, Stephen Riggs and John Lewis Dyer.

Selected publications

Notes and References

  1. Book: Coyle, William . Ohio authors and their books: biographical data and selective bibliographies for Ohio authors, native and resident, 1796-1950 . 1962 . Cleveland, New York, The World Pub. Co . University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . 329.
  2. Web site: 2022-05-25 . LIBRARY TALK – MARCH 14, 2022 – Union Township Public Library . 2023-02-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220525074509/https://ripleylibrary.com/2022/03/14/library-talk-march-14-2022/ . 2022-05-25 .
  3. News: 1896-07-29 . Clipped From The Owensboro Messenger . 7 . The Owensboro Messenger . 2022-07-19.
  4. News: 1890-05-08 . Clipped From The Valley Virginian . 4 . The Valley Virginian . 2022-07-19.
  5. News: 1898-07-26 . Clipped From The Hillsdale Standard . 5 . The Hillsdale Standard . 2022-07-19.
  6. News: 1894-07-12 . Clipped From The Times-Democrat . 3 . The Times-Democrat . 2022-07-19.
  7. News: 1889-03-17 . Clipped From The Inter Ocean . 4 . The Inter Ocean . 2022-07-19.
  8. News: 1901-09-08 . Clipped From The Brooklyn Citizen . 20 . The Brooklyn Citizen . 2023-02-14.
  9. News: 1902-02-09 . The Literary Outlook . https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118595178/the-literary-outlook/,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118595239/ . Savannah Morning News . 2023-02-14.
  10. News: 1902-01-19 . Clipped From The Brooklyn Citizen . 19 . The Brooklyn Citizen . 2023-02-14.
  11. Reviews for Catherine SchuylerNews: 1897-10-16 . Clipped From The Inter Ocean . 11 . The Inter Ocean . 2023-01-14.
  12. Reviews of Jack Racer
  13. Review of Racer of Illinois
  14. Reviews for Missionary Explorers among the American Indians

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