Myra Douglas (c. 1844–?) was an American writer and poet. Starting in her childhood, she wrote stories and verse for ''The Waverly Magazine and Literary Repository'' and '' Ballou magazine'', both of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, and other prominent periodicals. Her poems were included in nearly all standard collections of American verse.

Biography

Myra Douglas (sometimes spelled, "Douglass") was born in

Adrian, Michigan Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Lenawee County. The population was 20,645 at the 2020 census. Adrian lies in Michigan's 7th congressional district. History Adrian was founded on June 18, 1826 by Addison Co ...

in about 1844. Her father was John Wilkes Douglas, a medical doctor. He was one of the wealthiest men of that state. He was a physician or lawyer, and a politician. He served in the

war of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. Her mother was of French ancestry. Her first marriage was to Dr. Samuel Smith in

West Unity, Ohio West Unity is a village in Williams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,763 at the 2020 census. History West Unity was platted in 1842. A post office has been in operation at West Unity since 1842. The village was incorporated ...

; the marriage proved unhappy and she secured a divorce. Her second marriage was to William Smith, a painter; he died three years after their marriage. Years later, she married John Gwynne, a railroad man, who also died. She had one child, a daughter. In 1906, out of money, Douglas wrote to the St. Louis police chief, Edmund P. Creecy asking him to "find something for her to do". She had lost her home in St. Louis in a deal, pawned all of her jewelry, removed to

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coas ...

, and then returned to St. Louis,

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. Douglas was a writer since childhood, but her stories and verses were not published until adulthood. She contributed to many periodicals, among them ''Waverly'', ''Ballou'', ''Baltimorean'', ''Colman's Rural World'', and others. She was a contributor for years to the ''St. Louis Critic'', a weekly paper of her own city. She received letters of congratulation from Frances Cleveland, former

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

Mary Simmerson Cunningham Logan Mary Simmerson Cunningham Logan (née Mary Simmerson Cunningham; pen name, Mrs. John A. Logan; August 15, 1838February 22, 1923) was an American writer and editor from Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States ...

, Mrs. Hendricks; also Gen.

P. G. T. Beauregard Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard (May 28, 1818 - February 20, 1893) was a Confederate general officer of Louisiana Creole descent who started the American Civil War by leading the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Today, he is commonly ...

wrote her words of praise and thanks for some of her ''Poems of the South''. She used her maiden name in her work, and all her contributions bore the same signature.

Selected works

* ''Poems of the South''

References

Attribution

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Myra 1840s births 19th-century American poets 19th-century American women writers American women poets People from Adrian, Michigan Writers from Michigan Year of death unknown