Harriet Newell Ralston (, Jackson; October 21, 1828 - February 6, 1920) was an American poet. Her best work was her poem, "Columbus and Isabella — The Immortals".

Early life and education

Harriet Newell Jackson was born in

Waverly, Tioga County, New York Waverly is the largest village in Tioga County, New York, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Waverly had a population of 4,177. It is located southeast of Elmira in the Southern Tier region. This village was incorporated as t ...

, October 21, 1828. She was the daughter of Rev. Aaron Jackson. Her youth was passed in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. She received her education in the schools of the first two named States.

Career

Upon her removal to

Quincy, Illinois Quincy ( ), known as Illinois's "Gem City", is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2020 census counted a population of 39,463 in the city itself, down from 40,633 in 2010. ...

, she formed the acquaintance of Hon. James Harvey Ralston (1807–1864), and they married shortly afterward, in 1853. Judge Ralston was a leading man in Illinois and held various important offices in that State. After serving as an officer in the Mexican War, he turned his attention again to the practice of law, settling in the then new State of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. On their wedding day, Judge and Mrs. Ralston set out from New York for the Pacific coast, enjoying on the way the tropical beauties of the Nicaraguan Isthmus. They had two children, Jackson Harvey Ralston and Mary Aurora Ralston. Her married life was spent in

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

, and

Virginia City Virginia City is a census-designated place (CDP) that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, and the largest community in the county. The city is a part of the Reno– Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. Virginia City developed as a boom ...

and

Austin, Nevada Austin is an unincorporated small town in, and former county seat of, Lander County, Nevada, United States. In 2020, the census-designated place of Austin had a population of 167. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an ...

. Judge Ralston died in 1864 near Austin, which came to be known as Ralston Desert. Ralston wrote many poems, which, although never published in a collected volume, were published and widely copied by the press in single form. She was the author of "Fatherless Joe," "Decoration Day," "The Spectral Feast," "The Queen's Jewels" and "The White Cross of Savoy," for which poem King Humbert of Italy sent her a letter of thanks and appreciation. Among her numerous poems may be specially mentioned "The Queen's Jewels", written for the occasion of a banquet given by the

Woman's National Press Association Woman's National Press Association (W.N.P.A.) was an American professional association for women journalists. The constitution declared that the object of the association was to advance and encourage women in literary work, and to secure the benefi ...

of Washington, D.C., of which she was a member, to the delegates of the Pan-American Congress assembled in that city, and for which poem she has received many acknowledgments from the representatives of Central and South American governments. Her best work was her poem, "Columbus and Isabella — The Immortals". She took an active interest in philanthropic and social movements.

Later life

In 1883, Ralston came to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

and lived in that city and in

Hyattsville, Maryland Hyattsville is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and also a close, urban suburb of Washington, D.C. The population was 21,187 at the 2020 United States Census. History Before Europeans reached the area, the upper An ...

thereafter. She died at her son's home in Washington, D.C., February 6, 1920.

Selected works

Poems

* "The spectral feast", 1878 * "Columbus and Isabella — The Immortals", 1893 * "Fatherless Joe" * "Decoration Day" * "The Spectral Feast" * "The Queen's Jewels" * "The White Cross of Savoy" * "The Queen's Jewels"

References

Attribution

* *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ralston, Harriet Newell 1828 births 1920 deaths 19th-century American poets 20th-century American poets 19th-century American women writers 20th-century American women writers Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century