Woman of the Century/Emma D. E. N. Southworth

SOUTHWORTH, Mrs. Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte, author, born in Washington, D. C., 26th December, 1819. Her maiden name was Nevitte. Her mother was married twice, the second time to Joshua I.. Henshaw, in whose school she was educated. EMMA D. E. N. SOUTHWORTH. Miss Nevitte was graduated in 1835, and in 1840 became the wife of Frederick H. Southworth, of Utica, N. Y. From 1844 to 1849 she taught in one of the public schools in Washington, and while there employed she began to write stories. Her first story, "The Irish Refugee," appeared in the Baltimore "Saturday Visitor." She there wrote for the "National Era," and in its columns her first novel, "Retribution." was published. That story was issued in book form in 1849. She became a prolific writer, averaging three novels a year, strong, taught in one of the public schools in Washington, and while there employed she began to write stories. Her first story. "The Irish Refugee," appeared in the Baltimore "Saturday Visitor." She then wrote dramatic and finely descriptive works, which attained a remarkable popularity. In 1853 she and her husband settled on Potomac Heights, near Washington, where they lived until their removal to Yonkers, N. Y., in 1876. Mrs. South worth devised for her own use the manila box-envelope, which was afterwards patented by others. Her published novels number over sixty. In 1872 she brought out a uniform edition of her works, consisting of forty-two stories, beginning with "Retribution" and ending with "The Fatal Secret." Her later stories are: "Unknown" (1874); "Gloria" (1877): "The Trail of the Serpent " (18791; "Nearest and Dearest" (1881); "The Mother's Secret" (18S3), and "An Exile's Bride" (1887). Besides these she has published others as serials in the New York "Ledger." Many of her novels have been translated into French, German and Spanish, and republished in Montreal, London, Paris, Leipzig and Madrid. She is now living in Georgetown, D. C.