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Despite being mostly celebrated for her contribution to children’s literature, she still made a name for herself as a poet, publishing collections like The Silver Stair: Poems, and poems such as ‘Friends.’
Abbie Farwell Brown was born on August 21, 1871, in Boston, Massachusetts. She had a father, Benjamin F. Brown, and a mother, Clara Neal Brown.
Abbie Farwell Brown’s poetry was not as celebrated as her children’s literature and fairy tales. But she did publish a number of collections for children, like A Pocketful of Posies (1901) and Fresh Posies (1908), and for adults with Heart of New England (1920) and The Silver Stair (1926).
Abbie Farwell Brown took inspiration from a number of sources, such as the Trancendentalist movement, which originated from the New England area, with figures such as Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Unfortunately, Abbie Farwell Brown passed away on March 5, 1927, in Boston, Massachusetts. The specific cause of her death is not widely documented.
Abbie Farwell Brown was a female American writer who focused mainly on children’s literature, such as poetry and stories. Her career in adult poetry did not take off. She spent a lot of time engaging in the thriving literary scene of early 20th century New England, becoming president of the New England Poetry Club and involved herself in a number of organizations such as the Boston Authors’ Club, the Boston Drama League, and the Poetry Society of America.
Early Life and Education
Abbie Farwell Brown was born in Brown family’s home in Boston, Massachusetts, in August of 1871. She was one of two daughters born to Benjamin F. Brown and Clara Neal Brown. Her mother was a contributor to The Youth’s Companion, and Brown’s sister Ethel went on to become an author and illustrator, writing under the name Ann Underhill. The Brown family had lived in the New England area for ten generations, and were well and truly proud of their heritage. In fact, Brown did not venture too far from the nest, as she lived her entire life in the same house.
Abbie Farwell Brown attended Bowdoin School and graduated in 1886 as valedictorian. She went on to attend Girls’ Latin School, a public exam school in Boston. It provided Brown with a classical education, and while there, she helped to establish the school’s newspaper, which she chose to name The Jabberwock. The institution still publishes the newspaper today, and it is now classed as one of the oldest newspapers in the United States.
These years also saw Brown contribute work to St. Nicholas Magazine. Brown graduated in 1891 and then attended Radcliffe College until she graduated in 1894.
In 1896, Brown began writing under the name Jean Neal. She sent articles to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and is also known to have written a comedy, Quits, in 1896. Her first children’s book was published in 1900. It was titled The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts and was aimed at a young audience. The book was inspired by a trip she took to Chester Cathedral in England in 1899. The work contained stories of saints and animals inspired by the moral tenets of Christianity. It was this initial publication that led to her later career as a children’s book author.
Literary Success
Her next book came out in 1901 and was titled The Lonesomest Doll. Due to its success, her publishers, Hall and Locke, hired her as an editor of the Young Folks Library series. Brown’s next work was In the Days of Giants. It contained stories from Norse mythology. She continued in this genre and published Tales of the Red Children in 1909.
Brown also wrote poetry books for children and adults. The volumes for children included A Pocketful of Posies and Fresh Posies, in 1901 and 1908 respectively. Her works for adults were less successful, including the volumes The Silver Stair and Heart of New England.
Abbie Farwell Brown also wrote song lyrics, including the song that became the official song of the Girls Scouts of the USA. Until her death, Brown was active in New England society.
Brown died at the age of 55 in March 1927.
