Woman of the Century/Helen Maud Merrill

2280090Woman of the Century — Helen Maud Merrill

HELEN MAUD MERRILL. MERRILL, Miss Helen Maud, litterateur, born in Bangor, Me., 5th May, 1865 From 1881 to 1887 she lived in Bucksport, in the same State. In 1889 she removed to Portland, Me., where she still resides. There she soon became connected with several literary associations. She early showed a talent for composition, and since 1882 she has been a contributor, both in prose and verse, to the newspaper press. Her humorous sketches over the pen-name "Samantha Spriggins" had extensive reading. In 1885 she wrote a poem on the death of Gen. Grant, which was forwarded to his widow, and a grateful acknowledgment was received by the author in return. Her memorial odes and songs written for the anniversaries of the Grand Army of the Republic always find appreciation. In a recently-published work on the poets of her native State she has honorable mention. She has not yet collected her work in book-form, nor has she been in haste with her contributions to magazines and newspapers. Delicate in her childhood, she was tenderly and constantly cared for by her affectionate mother, who, doing her own thinking on all the most important themes pertaining to both man and womankind, encouraged her daughter to do the same. Early in life Miss Merrill was led to take herself into her own keeping, resolved on an honorable, useful and womanly life.