Libbie Riley Baer (born Elizabeth Caroline Riley; November 18, 1849 – February 27, 1929) was an American poet. She was the author of ''In the Land of Fancy'' and other works.

Early years

Elizabeth (

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

, "Libbie") Caroline Riley was born near Bethel, Ohio, November 18, 1849. Her ancestors on the paternal side were the two families Riley and Swing. From the original family of the former descended the poet and humorist,

James Whitcomb Riley James Whitcomb Riley (October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916) was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry. His ...

, and from the latter, the philosopher and preacher, Prof.

David Swing David Swing (August 23, 1830October 3, 1894) was a United States teacher and clergyman who was the most popular Chicago preacher of his time. Early life Swing was born to Alsatian immigrant parents in Cincinnati, Ohio. Citation: Joseph Fort ...

, of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. On the maternal side, Baer was a descendant of the Blairs, an old family of Southern Ohio. She wrote her first poem when she was ten.

Career

Upon the organization of the

Woman's Relief Corps The Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) is a charitable organization in the United States, originally founded as the official women's auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in 1883. The organization was designed to assist the GAR and p ...

, as allied with the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...

, Baer took an important part in the benevolent work of that order, and held various responsible positions connected with it, devoting much time and energy to the cause. Though always proficient in poetical composition, she really began her literary career about 1883. Many of her poems published in various journals were inspired by the spirit of patriotism. Devotion to friends and to the cause of humanity, and warm sympathy for every deserving cause that needs assistance, were reflected in her poems. Her verse flowed smoothly, with an easy rhythm and unstudied grace, which seemed to indicate a spontaneous origin.

Personal life

On November 14, 1867, she married Capt. John Mason Baer. She went with him to Appleton, Wisconsin. Their son,

John Miller Baer John Miller Baer (March 29, 1886 – February 18, 1970) was a U.S. Representative from North Dakota. Early years and education Born at Black Creek, Wisconsin, Baer was the son of Capt. John M. Baer and Libbie Riley Baer. His ancestors on the ...

, served as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

. She died February 27, 1929, and was buried at Riverside Cemetery, in Appleton.

References

Attribution

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Bibliography

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External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baer, Libbie Riley 1849 births 1929 deaths 19th-century American poets 19th-century American women writers People from Bethel, Ohio American women poets Woman's Relief Corps people Poets from Ohio Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century