Mary T. Waggaman

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary T. Waggaman
BornMary Theresa McKee
(1846-09-21)September 21, 1846
DiedJuly 30, 1931(1931-07-30) (aged 84)
Pen name
  • Fannie Fairie (for serials)
  • Queerquill (for poems)
OccupationAuthor
PeriodLate 19th and early 20th centuries
Subjects
  • Children's stories
  • Catholic literature
Spouse
Samuel J. Waggaman
​
(m. 1870)​
Children11

Mary Theresa McKee Waggaman, was an American author of Catholic literature in the early 20th century who was primarily known for writing short stories for children.

Biography[edit]

Waggaman was born on September 21, 1846, to John and Ester (Cottrell) McKee.[1] She was from Baltimore and attended Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, Maryland.[2][3] Her mother died when she was young, and she moved with her father to New York during the American Civil War.[1] Her father was arrested because of his support for the American South, and Waggaman would write "An American Bastile" about her experiences during the Civil War that was published in Ave Maria.[4][5] After the Civil War she returned to Mount de Sales Academy and was valedictorian of her class in 1864.[1]

As early as 1871 Waggaman was a published writer, starting with a poem in the January 1972 issue of Harper's Magazine.[6][7] Waggaman's first short story was "Little Comrades" which she wrote to impress upon her first son the importance of his First Communion.[8] While Waggaman initially did not share that she received funds for her writing,[5]: 273  she eventually described how she was able to earn enough money from her writing to hire a nurse and servants who enabled her to write each day.[8]

Waggaman is known for her writings for children and her writing for Catholic periodicals.[9] She published under different names, using "Fannie Fairie" for serials and "Queerquill" for poems.[5]: 273 

Selected publications[edit]

  • Waggaman, Mary T. (Mary Theresa). The secret of Pocomoke. OCLC 952138898.[10][11]
  • Waggaman, Mary T. (Mary Theresa). "Nan Nobody". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2022-09-26.[12]
  • Waggaman, Mary T. (1905). A double knot, and other stories. Retrieved 2022-09-26. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  • Waggaman, Mary Teresa (1915). White Eagle. Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-1-378-53433-5.[13]
  • Waggaman, Mary T. (1917). Grapes of thorns. Benziger Brothers, Publishers of Benziger magazine, New York. Retrieved 2022-09-26.Grapes of Thorns[14]

Awards and honors[edit]

In 1923 Waggaman won first prize for a story she submitted to the Columbian magazine published by the Knights of Columbus.[15] There were 3,000 authors competing for this honor.[5]: 275 

Personal life[edit]

Waggaman married Samuel J. Waggaman in 1870.[1] Together they had eleven children,[8] six of whom were alive upon her death in 1931.[16] One daughter, also named Mary T. Waggaman, achieved recognition as a poet.[17] In 1942, her daughter Ester W. Neill, who was also a writer,[5]: 207–209  wrote about her mother in The Book Of Catholic Authors First Series.[5]: 270–276 

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d American Council of Learned Societies (1943). Dictionary of American biography. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. New York, C. Scribner's Sons.
  2. ^ "Obituary for MARY T. WAGGAMAN". Evening Star. 1931-08-01. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  3. ^ Immortelles of Catholic Columbian Literature: Compiled from the Work of American Catholic Women Writers. D. H. McBride. 1897.
  4. ^ Waggaman, Mary T. (May 28, 1932). An American Bastile. Ave Maria.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Neill, Ester W. (1942). "Mary Theresa Waggaman (1846-1931)". In Romig, Walter (ed.). The Book Of Catholic Authors First Series.
  6. ^ "Review of new periodicals". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1871-12-25. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  7. ^ "Harper's Magazine". harpers.org. January 1872. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  8. ^ a b c Gordon, Mary (1929-03-02). "Women in the news". The Tablet. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  9. ^ "Woman Novelist Dies in 85th Year". Evening Star. 1931-07-31. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  10. ^ Review
  11. ^ "Clipped From The Catholic Bulletin". The Catholic Bulletin. 1915-05-01. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  12. ^ Review
  13. ^ Review
  14. ^ "Book Notes". The Tidings. 1917-07-06. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  15. ^ "Woman, 77, wins story writing prize". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1923-10-05. p. 47. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  16. ^ "Mrs. Mary Waggaman, author, dies at 85". The New York Times. 1931-08-01. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  17. ^ The Catholic World 1896-10: Vol 64 Iss 379. American Periodicals Series III. 1896 – via Internet Archive.

Further reading[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_T._Waggaman&oldid=1217956136"