Emily Chubbuck (later, Emily Judson;

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

, Fanny Forester; August 23, 1817 – June 1, 1854) was an American poet.

Biography

Emily Chubbuck was born to poor parents in

Eaton, New York Eaton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,255 at the 2010 census. The Town of Eaton is in the south-central part of the county. US Route 20 passes across the northern part of the town. History The town w ...

on August 23, 1817. In 1834 she became a teacher and joined a Baptist church. In 1840 she entered the Utica female seminary and wrote her first book, ''Charles Linn'', in 1841. She developed a literary friendship with

Nathaniel Parker Willis Nathaniel Parker Willis (January 20, 1806 – January 20, 1867), also known as N. P. Willis,Baker, 3 was an American author, poet and editor who worked with several notable American writers including Edgar Allan Poe and Henry Wadsworth Longfello ...

, who she described as the foster-father of her intellect. Willis and Chubbuck first corresponded in June 1844 after her failed attempt at writing children's stories. She was published in Willis's ''New York Mirror'', opening the door for contributions to other journals including ''The Columbian'' and ''

Graham's Magazine ''Graham's Magazine'' was a nineteenth-century periodical based in Philadelphia established by George Rex Graham and published from 1840 to 1858. It was alternatively referred to as ''Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine'' (1841–1842, and J ...

''.

In 1845, Chubbuck met the author Horace Binney Wallace, whom she described as "a man of talent, a scholar, and a perfect gentleman". The two may have considered a romantic relationship before Wallace became aloof. She met

Adoniram Judson Adoniram Judson (August 9, 1788 – April 12, 1850) was an American Congregationalist and later Particular Baptist missionary, who served in Burma for almost forty years. At the age of 25, Judson was sent from North America to preach in B ...

in December 1845 on his return to the United States. They married on June 2, 1846. On July 11, 1846, the newlyweds sailed from Boston to

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

where Judson had been a missionary for many years. Chubbuck at first disliked the lifestyle, where she became stepmother to her husband's two young sons and complained privately of "this taking care of teething babies" as being outside her usual literary role. While away from her reading audience, stories spread that she was unsuited for the missionary life and, gradually, her work fell out of favor. The Judsons had a daughter named Emily Frances who was born in 1847. A son named Charles was born and died on the same day in 1850, three weeks after Judson's death at sea. After learning of his death, Chubbuck returned in poor health to the United States in 1851. She collected materials for Judson's biography that was written by

Francis Wayland Francis Wayland (March 11, 1796 – September 30, 1865), was an American Baptist minister, educator and economist. He was president of Brown University and pastor of the First Baptist Church in America in Providence, Rhode Island. In Washingto ...

, then resumed writing herself. Chubbuck had three names she used to sign her published works, which correspond somewhat with the type of writing she did in those periods. "Emily Chubbuck" was used in her early career mostly writing children's books, "Fanny Forester" in her period contributing to popular magazines, and "Emily Judson" during her missionary period and her later years.Taketani, Etsuko. ''U.S. Women Writers and the Discourses of Colonialism, 1825–1861''. Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press, 2003: 201. Chubbuck died of

consumption Consumption may refer to: *Resource consumption *Tuberculosis, an infectious disease, historically * Consumption (ecology), receipt of energy by consuming other organisms * Consumption (economics), the purchasing of newly produced goods for curren ...

Hamilton, New York Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 6,690 at the 2010 census. The town is named after American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The Town of Hamilton contains a village also named Hamilton, the s ...

on June 1, 1854.

Critical response

Her friend Nathaniel Parker Willis called her a "woman of genius" in an article printed in the July 25, 1846, issue of the ''Home Journal''.Warren, Joyce W. ''Fanny Fern: An Independent Woman''. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1994: 329. ''

Godey's Lady's Book ''Godey's Lady's Book'', alternatively known as ''Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book'', was an American women's magazine that was published in Philadelphia from 1830 to 1878. It was the most widely circulated magazine in the period before the Civil ...

'' called her "unrivaled among living writers" for her "vivacity, feeling and ''naiveté''". A reviewer of her book ''Alderbook'' for ''

'' praised her writing for "ease, grace, invention, vivacity, a quick eye for character and manners, and a fine flexible style".Taketani, Etsuko. ''U.S. Women Writers and the Discourses of Colonialism, 1825–1861''. Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press, 2003: 128. Anthologist

Rufus Wilmot Griswold Rufus Wilmot Griswold (February 13, 1815 – August 27, 1857) was an American anthologist, editor, poet, and critic. Born in Vermont, Griswold left home when he was 15 years old. He worked as a journalist, editor, and critic in Philadelphia, New Y ...

determined she was "one of the most ingenious and brilliant female writers of the country".

Works

*''Charles Lynne, or How to Observe the Golden Rule'' (1841) *''The Great Secret'' (1842) *''Allan Lucas'' (1843) *''Alderbrook'' (1846) *''Trippings in Author Land'' (1846) *''Memoir of Mrs. Sarah B. Judson'' (1850) *''An Olio of Domestic Verses'' (1852) *''Kathayan Slave'' (1853) *''My Two Sisters'' (1854)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * See also: ''The life and letters of Emily Chubbuck Judson (Fanny Forester)'', edited by George H. Tooze. 7 volumes. Macon, GA, Mercer University Press, 2010--.

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chubbuck, Emily 1817 births 1854 deaths 19th-century American poets 19th-century American women writers American biographers American women biographers American women short story writers American women poets Baptist missionaries from the United States Baptist missionaries in Myanmar Christian writers 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Female Christian missionaries People from Madison County, New York Writers from New York (state) American expatriates in Myanmar 19th-century American short story writers Pseudonymous women writers Baptists from New York (state) Tuberculosis deaths in New York (state) 19th-century pseudonymous writers