Part of the American History & Genealogy Project

Amelia Edith Barr 1831 ~ 1919

 


Alemlia E. Barr

Among the foremost of American writers is Amelia Barr. She was born in Ulverston, Lancashire, England, in 1831. Her maiden name was Amelia Edith Huddleston. Her father was the Reverend Doctor William Henry Huddleston, and her first introduction into the literary field was when she served as a reader to her father.

She was educated in Glasgow and in 1850 married Robert Barr, a Scotchman, and four years later they came to this country. They made their residence in several states, in New York, the South and West, finally settling in Austin, Texas.

In 1867, the yellow fever was epidemic in Austin. Mr. Barr became famous through his work among the Indians and white settlers of this city. Doctors and nurses dying on all sides, he gave up his life in his unselfish devotion to poor suffering humanity.

Mrs. Barr lost not only her husband but three sons in this terrible epidemic, and after it was over she returned to New York City. Her first literary venture was brought out through the kind personal interest of the editor of the New York Ledger, Mr. Robert Bonner, and was a story published in the Christian Union. She did all kinds of literary work wrote advertisements, circulars, paragraphs and verses.

Her first great success came in 1885 in the publication of "Jan Vedder's Wife." Three other books followed: "Scottish Sketches," "Cluny MacPherson," and ''Paul and Christina." but none equalled "Jan Vedder's Wife." "The Bow of Orange Ribbon" is a delightful picture of New York in provincial days, as is ''The Maid of Maiden Lane." One of her later books, "The Lion's Whelp' a story of Cromwell's time, is considered one of her strongest books.

Women of America

Source: The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.

 

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