Woman of the Century/Harriet Prescott Spofford

2293709Woman of the Century — Harriet Prescott Spofford

SPOFFORD, Mrs. Harriet Prescott, author, born in Calais, Me., 3rd April, 1835. She is a daughter of the late Joseph N. Prescott. Her father went to California in 1849, and there suffered a stroke of paralysis that made him an invalid for life. He was a lawyer and a lumber merchant. His wife was Sarah Bridges, and both families were of good New England stock. The family removed to Newburyport, Mass.. where Harriet was educated in the Putnam school. She went next to Deny, N. H., where she entered Pinkerton Academy. There she was graduated in 1852. Her parents were both invalids at that time, and she began to use her literary talents to aid the family. She wrote stories for the Boston papers, fur which HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD. she received small pay. Her stories of those days she has never collected or acknowledged. In 1859 she published her Parisian story, " In a Cellar." in the "Atlantic Monthly," which at once brought her into notice. Since then she has contributed both prose and poetry to the leading magazines. In 1865 she became the wife of Richard S. Spofford. of Host on, now disccased. Her home is now on Deer Island, a suburb of Newburyport, in the Merrimac river. Among her published books are "Sir Rohan's Ghost " (1859); "The Amber Gods, and Other Stories" (1863); "Azarian " (1864); "New England Legends" (1871); "The Thief in the Night" (1872); "Art Decoration Applied to Furniture" (18S1); "Marquis of Carabas" (1882); "Poems" (1882); "Hester Stanley at St. Mark's" (1883); "The Servant Girl Question" (1884), and "Ballads About Authors " (1888).