H. Maria George Colby

H. Maria George Colby (pen name, H. Maria George; October 1, 1844 - March 29, 1910) was an American author, fashion editor, and social leader from New Hampshire. Her articles appeared in various publications, including the Housewife, Housekeeper, Housekeeper's Weekly, Christian at Work, Demorest's Monthly Magazine, Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine, The Youth's Companion, the Congregationalist, the Portland Transcript, Ladles' World, Good Cheer, The Philadelphia Press, the Chicago Ledger, the Golden Rule, the Household, Good Housekeeping and St. Nicholas Magazine. She served as fashion editor of the Household. Though she used various pen names, she was best known by her maiden name, "H. Maria George".

H. Maria George Colby
Born	Hannah Maria George October 1, 1844 Warner, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	March 29, 1910(1910-03-29) (aged 65) Warner
Pen name	H. Maria George
Occupation	author, editor, social leader
Language	English
Nationality	U.S.
Genre	novelettes, juvenile literature
Subject	domestic topics
Spouse	Frederick Myron Colby ( m. 1882)
Relatives	Adelaide George Bennett (sister)

Early years and education

Hannah Maria George was born in Warner, New Hampshire, October 1, 1844. Her parents were Gilman C. and Nancy Badger George. Gilman, born in 1820, died September 12, 1894, was a son of James and Hannah (Church) George, and a descendant of James George, who settled in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1653. He was a captain in the state militia in 1843–44, town clerk from 1868 to 1872, and selectman from 1885 to 1888. He was master of Warner Grange, president of the Kearsarge Agricultural Association, and was the first worshipful master of Harris Lodge, No. 91, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Warner.[1] Colby was of English descent on both sides of the family and inherited literary talents from ancestors connected with Daniel Webster.[2]

Career

While in her teens, she wrote a number of novelettes that were published in New York City and Philadelphia.[3] Later, she wrote considerably for juvenile publications, and she was also an acknowledged authority regarding domestic topics. Her articles appeared in the Housewife, Housekeeper, Housekeeper's Weekly, Christian at Work, Demorest's Monthly Magazine, Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine, The Youth's Companion, the Congregationalist, the Portland Transcript, Ladles' World, Good Cheer, The Philadelphia Press, the Chicago Ledger, the Golden Rule, the Household, Good Housekeeping and St. Nicholas For five years, she served as fashion editor of the "Household." She used various pseudonyms, but was best known to editors and the public by her maiden name. H. Maria George. A staunch advocate of temperance and equal rights for both sexes, she furthered these through her writing.[2]

Personal life

She married Frederick Myron Colby, the littérateur,[3] December 24, 1882.[1] They resided in Warner, and she died there on March 29, 1910.[4]

Selected works

• 1885, The Medieval Housewife[5]
• 1885, The Pets of Noted Persons[6]
• 1888, The city of the white swan[7]
• 1888, A Notable Place [8]
• 1901, Then we shall see[9]
• 1906, Bring out the flag: Memorial Day poem[10]

References

1. Lewis Publishing Company 1908, p. 1570.
2. Willard & Livermore 1893, p. 190.
3. New Hampshire Publishing Company 1895, p. 77.
4. Bradford Historical Society 2004, p. 95.
5. T.S. Arthur & Sons 1885, p. 652-53.
6. T.S. Arthur & Sons 1885, p. 721.
7. Godey Company 1888, p. 196.
8. Godey Company 1888, p. 426.
9. Metcalf 1901, p. 244.
10. Granite Monthly Co. 1906, p. 158.

Bibliography

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: T.S. Arthur & Sons (1885). Arthur's Home Magazine (Public domain ed.). T.S. Arthur & Sons.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Bradford Historical Society (2004). Early families of Bradford, New Hampshire (Public domain ed.). Bradford Historical Society (N.H.).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Godey Company (1888). Godey's Magazine (Public domain ed.). Godey Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Granite Monthly Co. (1906). The Granite Monthly: A New Hampshire Magazine (Public domain ed.). Granite Monthly Co.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lewis Publishing Company (1908). Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation (Public domain ed.). Lewis Publishing Company. p. 1570.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Metcalf, H. H. (1901). New Hampshire State Magazine (Public domain ed.). H. H. Metcalf.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: New Hampshire Publishing Company (1895). New Hampshire Women: A Collection of Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Daughters and Residents of the Granite State ... (Public domain ed.). New Hampshire Publishing Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Willard, Frances Elizabeth; Livermore, Mary Ashton Rice (1893). A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life (Public domain ed.). Moulton.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• Works by or about H. Maria George Colby at Internet Archive