CHAPTER L.
MRS. LUCRETIA NEWMAN COLEMAN.
A woman of good talent and refined manners, up with the age in which she lives and an advocate of sound doctrines in all matters of morality and religion, a writer of thought and ability, are characteristics of the lady whose name heads this section of Women of Distinction.
Born in Dresden, Ontario, the immediate descendant of William and Nancy Newman, her father having died while she was quite young and her mother soon following him into the grave, necessarily left much responsibility upon this lady of whom we pen these lines.
Educated very largely in the common and high schools she graduated from the scientific department of Lawrence University and immediately began the work of teaching what she had learned to others. It was about 1883 when she was assistant secretary in the financial affairs of the A. M. E. Church, having already been a store clerk and teacher in music and in the common English branches.
The American Baptist, which was at this time so ably edited by our lamented friend and brother, William J. Simmonds, D. D., contained the following, in September, 1884:
As a writer her fame is fast spreading, not only in one or two States, but throughout the United States. Should she continue with the same success in the future as she has had in the past, she will be equal to Harriet Ward Beecher Stowe, if not her superior. Her posm, "Lucilla of Montana," and her novel, "Poor Ben," have been very highly spoken of by competent critics and newspapers.
She has contributed some very fine articles to the A. M. E. Review, and in all matters to which she has applied herself she has well succeeded.