Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Mary Hartwell Catherwood was an American author born on December 16, 1847, in Luray, Ohio. After facing the early loss of her parents, she pursued education and became a schoolteacher while also studying writing, eventually earning her bachelor’s degree in 1868. Catherwood married James Steele Catherwood in 1877, and the couple lived in various locations, including Newburgh, New York, and Indianapolis, Indiana. She began her writing career in earnest in 1874, gaining recognition for her short stories that often depicted the lives and struggles of ordinary people in small-town America.
Her early works, like "Queen of the Swamp, and Other Plain Americans," explored themes of love and acceptance, often featuring strong, independent female characters. As her writing evolved, Catherwood shifted towards historical romances, meticulously researching early American history, particularly the interactions between French settlers and Native Americans. Her later works, such as "The Chase of Saint-Castin, and Other Stories of the French in the New World," combined rich narratives of female heroism with explorations of identity and relationships. Catherwood passed away on December 26, 1902, leaving behind a legacy of literature that balanced entertainment with historical insight.
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Subject Terms
Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Author
- Born: December 16, 1847
- Birthplace: Luray, Ohio
- Died: December 26, 1902
Biography
Mary Hartwell Catherwood was born December 16, 1847, in Luray, Ohio, to Marcus and Phoebe Thompson Hartwell. Her father was a doctor, and moved the family to Illinois to open a practice in 1855. Shortly after settling and starting his own practice, Marcus Hartwell died suddenly, followed by Phoebe Hartwell’s death a few months later. After her parents’ death, Mary, eleven years old, was separated from her brother and sister, and each child was sent to live with different maternal relatives.
Catherwood worked her way through Granville Female Seminary as a schoolteacher. She studied writing, and received her bachelor of arts degree in 1868. On December 27, 1877, she married James Steele Catherwood. The couple moved frequently, living in Newburgh, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Milford, Illinois; and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Catherwood worked as a teacher from 1862 to 1874, and later as a writer from 1874 to 1902. Her short stories were published in some of the most prestigious journals of the time. Her early work centered on normal people and their experiences in small towns. Queen of the Swamp, and Other Plain Americans, published in 1899, is comprised of tales of unapproved love affairs in small towns and young lovers’ gaining acceptance from their families and townsfolk.
Catherwood’s work frequently would highlight strong female characters who were independent and self-reliant. As she matured as a writer, her themes shifted to historical romances. She took great care and pride in researching the customs and relationships between early American French settlers and Native Americans. Her novels were historically accurate and educational, as well as entertaining. Although many prefer her earlier stories about simple life in the Midwest, her historical romances are considered ground-breaking.
In her later The Chase of Saint-Castin, and Other Stories of the French in the New World, Catherwood weaves female heroism and national American identity into heady romances set throughout historic events. The stories focus on defining ethnic and national identities, while simultaneously blurring those definitions through meaningful relationships. Mary Hartwell Catherwood died on December 26, 1902. Her passion for historical accuracy in fictional writing was her greatest achievement and contribution to literature.