Agnes Repplier
Agnes Repplier (1855-1950) was an American essayist renowned for her insightful and witty reflections on the human experience. Born in Pennsylvania to parents of French and German descent, she faced early educational challenges, learning to read independently at the age of ten. In her twenties, with her family facing financial difficulties, she turned to writing, guided by the influential advice of Father Isaac Thomas Hecker to focus on essays rather than fiction. Repplier's education included time at the Eden Hall of the Sacred Heart Convent and Agnes Irwin's Seminary for Young Ladies, both of which shaped her intellectual development.
Throughout her career, she produced a diverse body of work, contributing to notable publications such as The Atlantic Monthly and Harper's Monthly, and earned several honorary degrees and prestigious awards, including the Laetare Medal. Although she remained unmarried, Repplier dedicated her life to caring for her family, including her ill brother and elder sister. Her essays became popular for their thought-provoking observations, and she was known for her extensive travels in Europe later in life. Repplier's legacy endures through her writings, which continue to resonate with readers interested in the nuances of life and literature.
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Agnes Repplier
Dean
- Born: April 1, 1855
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: 1950
Biography
Agnes Repplier, best known for her witticisms on the human condition, was born in the mid-1800’s in Pennsylvania to a father of French descent, John George, mother of German descent, Agnes (Mathias) Repplier. Although gifted with a very good memory at an early age, she did not learn to read until she was ten. Her mother had tried to teach her earlier, but to no avail. She finally learned to read by teaching herself.
In her early twenties, Repplier began writing in earnest. When her father fell on hard times, her mother determined that she could contribute to the family coffers through writing. Upon the advice of Father Isaac Thomas Hecker, the founder of the Paulist order and editor of the Catholic World, Repplier decided not to pursue fiction. Instead, she began to develop her essay style. She later acknowledged his advice as one of the most important pieces of wisdom she had received.
Repplier, a Roman Catholic, was first educated at Eden Hall of the Sacred Heart Convent in Torresdale, Pennsylvania. She dedicated a memoir of her two years there, In Our Convent Days, to her best friend of those days, Elizabeth Robins Pennell. Repplier then enrolled in Agnes Irwin’s West Penn Square Seminary for Young Ladies, a school with rigorous scholastic standards. However, like Eden Hall, her stay was briefer than hoped for as she was outspoken for a young woman of her times.
She received honorary doctor of letters degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, and from Temple, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia Universities from the mid-1920’s through the mid- 1930’s. She was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame, the Gold Medal from the Academy of Arts and Letters, and an award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
The author remained unwed for the duration of her life. As an adult, she shared a household with her elder sister, Mary, whom she took care of, and her brother, John, who was partially paralyzed and frequently ill. Repplier was very close to her niece, Emma Repplier Witmer, who had married the psychologist Lightner Witmer. The niece was the daughter of a stepbrother from her father’s first marriage. Repplier developed a family bond with her older half-siblings after the death of her mother.
Repplier worked exclusively as a writer for over sixty-five years, authoring essays, books, journalistic works, poetry, and biographies. Her circle of acquaintances included authors and scholars of note. Her journalist career includes contributions to the Catholic World, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Atlantic Monthly, Life, Appleton’s Magazine, The New Republic, McClure’s, Harper’s Monthly, Commonweal, America, Century Magazine, and the Yale Review. The majority of her popularity arose from the quotable comments on life she imbued her essays with.
When money from her writing success came in, she began to travel abroad. Much of her adult life was spent in Europe. Repplier died in the mid-twentieth century, and was buried at St. John’s Church in Philadelphia.