Elizabeth Jones Towne (May 11, 1865 – June 1, 1960) was an influential writer, editor, and publisher in the

New Thought The New Thought movement (also Higher Thought) is a spiritual movement that coalesced in the United States in the early 19th century. New Thought was seen by its adherents as succeeding "ancient thought", accumulated wisdom and philosophy from ...

and

self-help Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement''APA Dictionary of Physicology'', 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a subs ...

movements.

Early life

Elizabeth Jones was born in Oregon, the daughter of John Halsey Jones. She first married at age 14, to Joseph Holt Struble. They had two children, Catherine and Chester. They divorced in 1900. She married William E. Towne and relocated to

Holyoke, Massachusetts Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfiel ...

that same year.

Career

Both Elizabeth Towne and her second husband were for many years associated with the International New Thought Alliance (INTA), and served on its board in various capacities. She served as the president of INTA in 1924. In 1926 she ran for and successfully obtained a seat on the board of aldermen, the predecessor of Holyoke's city council. She would be the first woman to do so in Holyoke, and the first married woman to obtain a position on a board of aldermen in the state, and in 1928, while ultimately losing to her opponents, became the first woman in the city to run for the office of mayor. Towne was the founder and publisher of ''

Nautilus The nautilus (, ) is a pelagic marine mollusc of the cephalopod family Nautilidae. The nautilus is the sole extant family of the superfamily Nautilaceae and of its smaller but near equal suborder, Nautilina. It comprises six living species in ...

'' Magazine, a journal of the New Thought Movement that ran from 1898 through 1953, when she brought it to a close due to her advancing age (she was 88 years old at the time). She also operated the Elizabeth Towne Company, which published an extensive list of New Thought,

metaphysical Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...

, self-help, and self-improvement books by herself and writers such as William Walker Atkinson, Kate Atkinson Boehme, Paul Ellsworth, Orison Swett Marden,

Edwin Markham Edwin Markham (born Charles Edward Anson Markham; April 23, 1852 – March 7, 1940) was an American poet. From 1923 to 1931 he was Poet Laureate of Oregon. Life Edwin Markham was born in Oregon City, Oregon, and was the youngest of 10 children ...

, Clara Chamberlain McLean, Helen Rhodes-Wallace, William Towne, and

Wallace Wattles Wallace Delois Wattles (; 1860 – 7 February 1911) was an American New Thought writer. He remains personally somewhat obscure, but his writing has been widely quoted and remains in print in the New Thought and self-help movements. Wattles' bes ...

. In 2015, her book ''Just How To Wake The Solar Plexus'' was narrated by

Hillary Hawkins Hillary Hawkins is an American actress. She introduced shows such as ''Dora the Explorer'', '' Bob the Builder'', and '' Little Bill'' on TV everyday as Robyn, Host of the Nick Jr. block. She also was a Host for Radio Disney. Career Early role ...

and published in audiobook form.

Influence

The title page of Towne's book ''The Life Power and How to Use it'' is shown in the opening sequence of the 2006 movie '' The Secret'', and the film presents many of the ideas that she promoted, along with those of

and William Walker Atkinson.

Bibliography

In addition to the many articles and editorials she wrote for ''

'' Magazine during its 55-year history, books by Elizabeth Towne include: *''Experiences in Self-Healing'' *''Fifteen Lessons in New Thought or Lessons in Living'' *''Happiness And Marriage'' *''Health Through New Thought and Fasting'' (with

) *''How to Grow Success'' (1904) *''How to Use New Thought in Home Life'' *''Lessons in Living'' *''The Life Power and How to Use It'' *''Joy Philosophy'' *''Just How to Concentrate'' *''Just How to Cook Meals Without Meat'' *''Just How to Train Children and Parents'' *''Just How to Wake the Solar Plexus'' Elizabeth Towne Co. 1906.; repr. 1926. *''Practical Methods for Self-Development: Spiritual, Mental, Physical'' *''You and Your Forces'' *''Your Character'' (reprinted as ''How to Read Character'')

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Towne, Elizabeth 1865 births 1960 deaths American magazine publishers (people) New Thought writers Writers from Holyoke, Massachusetts Writers from Portland, Oregon 20th-century American women writers