Emma L. Shaw (June 1840 – February 1924), an American

Nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

, was a tailor and a farmer before becoming a juvenile literature book editor and associate editor of ''Good Health'' in

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, Michigan, Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle C ...

.McElhaney, Jacquelyn Masur, ''Pauline Periwinkle: And Progressive Reform in Dallas'', page 26, Texas A & M University Press, 1998 In about 1870, Shaw began her literary work in

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 ...

. With her friend,

Ella Farman Eliza Anna Farman Pratt (1837–1907) (pen names, Ella Farman and Dorothea Alice Shepherd) was an American writer of children's literature, best known for editing '' Wide Awake'' magazine for 16 years, starting in 1875. Early life Farman was bor ...

, Shaw purchased a small farm near Battle Creek and here, for several years, Farman wrote juvenile books that were edited by Shaw, and published by D. Lothrop & Co. In 1875, Shaw and Farman began editing '' Wide Awake'' in their sitting-room. The growing needs of this periodical caused the editors to move to Boston, but Shaw soon returned to Michigan and became a charter member of the

Michigan Woman's Press Association Michigan Woman's Press Association (MWPA) was an American professional association for women writers and journalists in Michigan. Founded in 1890, it was active until shortly before World War I, though there was an unsuccessful attempt to revive ac ...

. She worked on several journals published by the Good Health Publishing Company of Battle Creek, where she was an editor for many years.

Early life

Emma L. Shaw was born in

Junius, New York Junius is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 1,370 at the 2020 census. The Town of Junius is in the northwest corner of the county and is east of Geneva, New York. There is no post office in the Town of Junius. ...

, June 1840, and lived there until she was six years old, when her parents moved to

Clyde, New York Clyde is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 2,093 at the 2010 census. It was named after the River Clyde, in Scotland, and the village sits on the Clyde River, a tributary of the Seneca River. The Village ...

. At thirteen, with her mother, she moved to Chautauqua County, now

Jamestown, New York Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest pop ...

, where she lived for seven years. While in New York, Shaw spent much of her time studying and teaching, and it was there that she met

. After her mother married a second time, Shaw accompanied her mother and stepfather to their farm near

Battle Creek Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which encom ...

. She spent a few years there, and began corresponding with Farman. Shaw suggested that they share a home together.

Career

Shaw and Farman were interested in the lives of

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

and

Phoebe Cary Phoebe Cary (September 4, 1824 – July 31, 1871) was an American poet, and the younger sister of poet Alice Cary (1820–1871).She was a great poet who composed a Legend of Northland which is a very beautiful poem. The sisters co-published poe ...

, sibling writers who lived together, and hosted gatherings of notable people. Shaw and Farman resolved that they, too, would found a home. Shaw received a small inheritance, which allowed them to buy a small farm, and they filled the farmhouse with old donated furniture. They made Turkish trousers of sturdy cloth, which were worn under dresses that were short enough to allow them freedom of movement.Lowe, Berenice Bryant, ''Tales of Battle Creek'', page 262-264, The Albert L. and Louise B. Miller Foundation, Inc. 1976 Using the name of D. A. Shepherd, Farman wrote a fictionalized story of their adventures, ''Two Girls That Tried Farming'', which was published in

The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

. The story was later expanded, and published as a book under Farman's own name. During the winter months Farman began writing children's stories, which were improved by Shaw's editing. The stories were submitted to D. Lothrop & Co., and publisher

Daniel Lothrop Daniel Lothrop (August 11, 1831 – March 18, 1892) was an American publisher.''The National Cyclopaedia of American biography'', Vol 8 (1898) James T. White & Company, New York Biography Daniel Lothrop was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, Ro ...

was so impressed with the work he proposed Shaw and Farman edit a new children's magazine '' Wide Awake'', first published in 1875. They first edited the magazine at their home, but then they sold the farm and moved to Boston. Shaw was never happy in Boston and, after Ella Farman's 1877 marriage, she returned to

. For a time she taught school, and then she became the editorial assistant to Dr.

John Harvey Kellogg John Harvey Kellogg (February 26, 1852 – December 14, 1943) was an American medical doctor, nutritionist, inventor, health activist, eugenicist, and businessman. He was the director of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan. The ...

at the Good Health Publishing Company, a position she held until her failing eyesight prevented further work. Shaw became the associate editor of ''Good Health'' magazine, and those she worked with admired her independent streak, and they accepted her mannish clothing styles.

S. Isadore Miner Pauline Periwinkle (September 25, 1863 – August 10, 1916) was the pen name of S. Isadore Callaway (, Sara Isadore Sutherland; after first marriage, S. Isadore Miner) an American journalist, poet, teacher, and feminist of the long nineteenth cen ...

was on the editorial staff of ''Good Health'', and she became friends with Shaw. The friendship continued after Miner accepted a position with the Grand Rapids ''Telegram-Herald'', while Shaw remained with ''Good Health''. In 1916, the Michigan Women's Press Association elected Shaw as a life member "in consideration of her long and faithful membership."Michigan Women’s Press Association, The Michigan Bulletin, page 2, June 1916

Failing health and death

Shaw became blind in 1922, and died in February 1924.

Notes

References

Attribution

* *

Bibliography

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Emma L. 1840 births 1924 deaths People from Seneca County, New York 19th-century American journalists 19th-century American women writers Writers from New York (state) American magazine editors Women magazine editors American tailors American women non-fiction writers American book editors