Katharine MacDowell
Katharine Sherwood Bonner MacDowell, known by her pen name Sherwood Bonner, was a prominent American author born on February 26, 1849, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She began her writing career at the age of twenty and gained recognition for her diverse body of work, which included travel writing, romantic fiction, and poetry. In the late 1870s, MacDowell became known for her unique storytelling style, particularly through tales narrated in black dialect, making her one of the first women to depict African American characters in the North. Her 1878 novel, "Like Unto Like," stands out for its strong, independent female lead and regional authenticity. After facing personal challenges, including a troubled marriage and eventual divorce, MacDowell continued to pursue her literary ambitions while raising her daughter, Lillian. Despite her short life, as she passed away at the age of thirty-four in 1883 due to breast cancer, MacDowell left a lasting impact on American literature. Her work reflects both her personal experiences and the cultural dynamics of her time, making her an intriguing figure in the literary landscape of the 19th century.
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Subject Terms
Katharine MacDowell
Author
- Born: February 26, 1849
- Birthplace: Holly Springs, Mississippi
- Died: 1883
- Place of death: Holly Springs, Mississippi
Biography
Katharine Sherwood Bonner MacDowell, who wrote under pen name Sherwood Bonner, was born on February 26, 1849, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, to a family of planters. In 1869, MacDowell sold her first story at the age of twenty. She married Edward MacDowell in 1871 and bore a daughter later that year. MacDowell had moved the new family to Texas from Mississippi, but he was unable to support them. Katharine placed her child with relatives back in Mississippi and moved to Boston in hopes that she might get an education and find work.
While submitting her early writing, MacDowell had corresponded with an editor named Nahum Capen. Upon her arrival in Boston, Capen was of great assistance to MacDowell, both by employing her as his secretary and by introducing her to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. These acquaintances helped MacDowell build a successful career as freelance writer. She published work in a variety of genres, including travel dispatches, romantic fiction, and poetry.
MacDowell found a unique literary voice between 1875 and 1880 when she published a series of tales narrated in black dialect by a character named Gran’mammy. While the stories are stereotypical by modern standards, they represented the first publication of dialect stories in the North and the first depictions of black characters written by a woman author.
MacDowell’s 1878 novel Like Unto Like is perhaps her most enduring legacy. While it was a romance story, it was notable for its regional flavor as well for the independence of its main protagonist, a southern free spirit who breaks her engagement with a former Union soldier.
With her literary success, MacDowell was able to send for her daughter, Lillian, to join her in Boston. MacDowell and her husband tried several times to reconcile, but ultimately they divorced in 1881. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and returned home to Mississippi, where she died in 1883 at the age of thirty-four.