Ella H. Brockway Avann (, Hoag; after first marriage, Brockway; after second marriage, Avann; May 20, 1853 – October 22, 1899) was a 19th-century American educator and writer. After graduating from

Albion College Albion College is a private liberal arts college in Albion, Michigan. The college was founded in 1835 and its undergraduate population was approximately 1,500 students in 2014. They participate in NCAA Division III and the Michigan Intercolle ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, she subsequently became preceptress of that institution. She filled the chair of English literature and also lectured on the history of music. For 10 years, she was president of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society. Avann made frequent contributions to the religious press. She held official positions in various literary, social and benevolent societies.

Early life and education

Ella Eleura Hoag was born in

Newaygo, Michigan Newaygo ( ) is a rural city in Newaygo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,471 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. in ...

, May 20, 1853. Her father, the Rev. G. W. Hoag, born in

Charlotte, Vermont Charlotte is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Queen Charlotte, though unlike Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlottesville, Virginia, and other cities and towns that bear her name, the town's name is pronou ...

, was of

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

parentage and a pioneer in the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

, having gone to that State in boyhood. Her mother, Elizabeth Bruce Hoag, from

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

, was gifted with pen and voice, and was a high official in the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of her church. At the age of 12, Avann went to

Albion, Michigan Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,616 at the 2010 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area. The earliest English-s ...

, and was graduated in 1871.

Career

In 1873, she married L. Hamline Brockway, of Albion, where they lived for 15 years, when his election as county clerk caused their removal to

Marshall, Michigan Marshall is a U.S. city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Calhoun County. The population was 7,088 at the 2010 census. Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th- and early 20th-century architecture. It has been referred to by t ...

. In 1885, Avann, then Mrs. Brockway, thinking "some good should come as the hours go by", couseling with Mrs. A. G. Dickey, organized "the Monday club" in Marshall and was elected its first president. After the husband's death in August, 1887, Mrs. Brockway with her son, Bruce, aged 12, and daughter, Ruth, aged six, returned to Albion. In January, 1889, she became preceptress of Albion College, displaying great executive ability. She had great influence over the young women of the college and exercised that power without apparent effort. She led the department of English literature, and also lectured on the history of music. For ten years, she was president of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Albion district. In June, 1891, she resigned her position in Albion College and on August 11, she married the Rev. Joseph M. Avann, of

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Ohio, United States. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. The population was 40,313 at the 2020 United St ...

. She was a pleasing speaker, and occasionally she gave a literary address or spoke in behalf of some benevolent cause away from home. She made frequent contributions to the religious press, and was connected with various literary, social and benevolent societies, holding official positions.

Personal life

She had one son, Porter Bruce Brockway (1875-1958). Taken with convulsions, Avann died suddenly at her home in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

on October 22, 1899, after an illness of 30 hours. She was buried at Riverside Cemetery, in Albion.

References

Attribution

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Avann, Ella H. Brockway 1853 births 1899 deaths 19th-century American writers 19th-century American women writers Educators from Michigan Writers from Michigan People from Newaygo, Michigan American religious writers Women religious writers Albion College alumni Albion College faculty American women non-fiction writers American women academics Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century