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Wilcox, Ella (Wheeler) (November 5, 1850-October 30, 1919), poet and
novelist, was born in Johnstown Center, Wis., near Madison, the daughter of
Marius Hartwell Wheeler and Sarah (Pratt) Wheeler. Later in life, she was
accustomed to drop three years from her age. The father was a teacher of
dancing from Vermont. Both parents encouraged the child's precocity, and she
was reared on such writers as "Ouida," Mrs. Mary J. Holmes, and Mrs. E.D.E.N.
Southworth; proving herself an apt pupil. At nine she wrote her first "novel,"
at fourteen the New York
In 1867 her parents sent her to the University of Wisconsin, but there
was nothing there she wanted or could use, and she came home at the end of the
term. She kept turning out two poems a day, and the first of her forty-odd
volumes (mostly of verse) appeared when she was twenty-two. For a few months
she worked on a trade paper in Milwaukee. With the refusal of one publisher of
In 1884 she married Robert Wilcox, a manufacturer of silver
Mrs. Wilcox was the feminine Edgar Guest of her day. She was the high priestess of platitude, and exalted commonplaces to the stature of genius. The success of her prosy poems and her lush yet conventionally Puritanical romances is one of the mysteries of American literature.
Principal works:
About: Wilcox, E.W. The Story of a Literary Career, The Worlds and I; American Mercury August 1934; Bookman January 1920; Cosmopolitan November 1888, August 1901; Lippincott's Monthly Magazine May 1886; Literary Digest November 22, 1919; New York Times October 31, 1919.
[The above biography from
The Collection consists of 19 interesting and, occasionally, very frank letters by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, written 1873-1918, to her close friend and fellow versifier, Ethelyn Bryant Chapman (Hattie), in which she frequently mentions works in progress or the reception of her work. In addition to the below letters are a half dozen items relating to Mrs. Chapman.
Early photograph, no date, transferred to B.Y.U. Photo Archives.
For more information on Wilcox, see her autobiography, The Worlds and I.
1873 October. Madison, Wis. Very depressed, worried about permitting men's caresses.
1975 August. Windsor, Wis. "'Maurine' well along. I think part 7 will complete it." Description of further action in the poems, etc.
1875 September. Refers to the completion of "Maurine" and possible publishers.
1875 October. Windsor, Wis. Her book ("Maurine") to be published by New Year. Personal matters.
1876 July. Windsor, Wis. Personal matters.
1878 June. Milwaukee, Wis. Belle's wedding. Her own love affairs.
1880 March. Portage, Wis. Festive ball at Portage. Friends and suitors, correspondence with other poets.
1880 June. Windsor?, Wis. Sending poems of two friends, asks for an opinion. More about the Portage ball. Other personal matters.
1883 August. Windsor?, Wis. More on her love life. Comments on "Cecil Deeme", "Vathek", etc.
1884 July. Flying Point, Stony Creek, Conn. Now married to Robert Wilcox. Much about their life together.
1884 November. (Meridien?, Conn.) Her husband away--misses him very much. Experiments with a "Planchette." Personal matters.
1884 December. Palmer House, Chicago, Ill. Making up a quarrel.
1885 December. (Meridien, Conn.) In a mood of high euphoria. Her husband sees a ghost in their home, is also interested in theosophy. Some on her book, ("Poems of Passion"). Letter lacks all after p. 5.
1887 June. Meridien, Conn. Vivid description of the birth of her baby who died after 12 hours.
1887 July. Prospect House, Shelter Island Heights, N.Y. Recuperating from the birth of her baby. Visit to the island of thirty yachts of the Atlantic Yacht Club. Describes life at the hotel.
1887 August. Portion of page 1 missing. Lacks page 7 and all
after page 9, but probably still Shelter Island. Goes to cooking school.
Literary activities, "I have a large amount of literary work to do this Fall. A
syndicate in New York wants letters from me at good prices. $25 a column, and I
have several planned out. I sent one the other day on
1905 January. Short Beach, Conn. An outline of her philosophy of living. Her play, ("Mizpah?") a success in San Francisco. Had 22 curtain calls.
1918 (typed). Hotel Belmont, New York. Sending two chapters of her memoirs (The Worlds and I?). Spiritualism.
1918 August. Tours, France. On tour in France where she was lecturing to soldiers. Describes her many appearances before groups of soldiers. Her memoirs to appear on November 1. Spiritualist messages from he husband responsible for her itinerary. Visits at hospitals.