Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon
Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon was a Canadian novelist and poet born in the early nineteenth century, recognized for her contributions to literature during a time when women's voices were often marginalized. The daughter of an Irish immigrant who became a successful merchant in Montreal, she received an upscale education that influenced her literary output. Leprohon married Dr. Jean Lukin Leprohon and experienced both personal tragedy and the challenges of motherhood, which deeply informed her writing. After a period of limited output following her marriage, she began to publish her works in Montreal, drawing inspiration from Canadian history in her novels, such as "Le Manoir de Villerai" and "Antoinette De Mirecourt." In addition to her fiction, she contributed poetry to numerous national anthologies. Her diverse body of work encompassed historical romance, social novels, and elegies, reflecting her engagement with the social issues of her time. Leprohon's literary legacy continues to be explored, and she passed away at the age of fifty.
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Subject Terms
Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon
Author
- Born: January 12, 1829
- Died: September 20, 1879
Biography
Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon, best known for her novels and lyrical poetry, was born in the early nineteenth century as the second child of Francis and Rosanna Mullins. Her father, an Irish immigrant, became a successful merchant in Montreal. Leprohon was afforded an upscale education, including at the Convent of the Congregation, which would figure prominently in some of her poetry. Leprohon married Dr. Jean Lukin Leprohon in mid-century in Montreal. The couple made their home in St. Charles on the Richelieu. Her husband practiced medicine and had the first of their thirteen children within the first year of their marriage. This child died early, and was the source of some of her works. She would not write in abundance for some years yet, but the history of her surroundings would influence her book.
About ten years later, they had moved to Montreal. Leprohon was writing and getting published, including Le Manoir de Villerai and Antoinette De Mirecourt; these, her first works of fiction, used Canadian history as the premise for the books. Her poetry was published in several national anthologies. Lephrohon’s work included historical romance and social novels, serials, short stories, poetry, and elegies. Leprohon died at the age of fifty.