OWEN, Miss Mary Alicia, folk-lore student and author, born in St. Joseph, Mo., 29th January, 1858. She is the daughter of the late James A. Owen, the lawyer and writer on finance, and Agnes Jeannette, his wife.
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MARY ALICIA OWEN.
From an early age she manifested a fondness for literary pursuits, but it is only within the last ten years that that fondness has induced her to choose letters as a profession. She began with the writing of modest verses and ballads, followed by newspaper correspondence, book-reviewing, and finally by work as literary editor of a weekly paper. After several years of successful newspaper work, she turned her attention to the writing of short stories, and. under the pen-name "Julia Scott," as well as her own name, contributed to nearly all of the leading periodicals, "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper." "Peterson's Magazine," the "Overland Monthly" and the "Century." For the last few years she has chiefly devoted herself to the collection of the curious and romantic myths and legends of the Mississippi Valley. Her most notable success has been the discovery of Voodoo stories and ritual. Her papers on that subject were read before the American Folk-Lore Society, in its annual meeting in Philadelphia, before the Boston Folk-Lore Society, and in the International Folk-Lore Congress in London, Eng. Her book of folk-tales appeared simultaneously in America and England. She is at present engaged on "A Primer of Voodoo Magic," for the English Folk-Lore Society, and "The Myths of the Rubber Devil," for the Chicago Folk- Lore Society. Her home is in St. Joseph, Mo.