Blanche Mary Channing (February 26, 1860 – August 9, 1902) was a poet and writer of juvenile fiction.

Blanche Mary Channing
Born(1860-02-26)February 26, 1860
DiedAugust 9, 1902(1902-08-09) (aged 42)
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Resting placeProspect Hill Cemetery (Brattleboro, Vermont)
OccupationPoet and writer
GenreChildren's literature
RelativesWilliam Henry Channing (father)
Francis Channing, 1st Baron Channing of Wellingborough (brother)

Early life

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Blanche Mary Channing was born on February 26, 1860.[1] She was the daughter of Julia Maria (née Allen) and William Henry Channing, a Unitarian clergyman in England and America.[2][3][4][5] Her brother was Francis Allston Channing, later the 1st Baron Channing of Wellingborough and a member of the British Parliament.[6][7]

Her great-uncle was William Ellery Channing the foremost Unitarian preacher in the 19th century.[8][3] Other notable greatuncles include physician and Harvard professor Walter Channing and Havard professor of rhetoric Edward Tyrrel Channing. In addition, her first cousin once-removed was the transcendentalist poet William Ellery Channing.

Career

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Zodiac Stories illustration

Channing was a writer and poet, known for her children's books.[8][2][3] Her poems were popular during the Spanish–American War era[4] and were published in Time magazine and newspapers such as The Boston Journal.[9][10] Her last novel for children, The Balaster Boys, was released shortly before her death in 1902.[3][11][12]

However, her children's books Zodiac Stories (1899), Winifred West (1901), and Lullaby Castle and Other Poems (1902) were her best-known works.[8][13][14][15] She also provided illustrations to go with Zodiac Stories, a short story collection that explored the customs from different countries.[16][17]

Personal life

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Lullaby Castle; and Other Poems

Channing lived in Brookline, Massachusetts.[8] She was involved in the anti-vivisection movement to protect animals[8] and was considered an "intensely religious Liberal".[4] She died on August 9, 1902, in the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston from an illness after being chilled during a boating outing in Nahant a few weeks prior.[8][2] Her funeral was held at Emmanual Church on Newberry Street in Boston on August 12, 1902.[2][3] She was buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro, Vermont.[6]

Publications

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References

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  1. ^ Channing, Francis Allston (November 2, 1905). "In memoriam: Blanche Mary Susan Ethelind Channing, February 26, 1860 - August 9, 1902". Edinburgh: Privately Printed / The Darien Press. hdl:2027/hvd.hx5ldz. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Hathi Trust.
  2. ^ a b c d "Miss Channing Buried. Was Well Known as an Author of Juvenile Stories". The Boston Globe. August 13, 1902. p. 3. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "For Blanche Mary Channing". Boston Evening Transcript. August 12, 1902. p. 3. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c "About People". The Sutton Coldfield News. Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England. August 23, 1902. p. 3. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Obituary for William Henry Channing". The Indianapolis Journal. December 25, 1884. p. 4. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Brattleboro Personal". Vermont Phoenix. October 17, 1902. p. 4. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. ^ The United Editors Perpetual Encyclopedia: A Library of Universal Knowledge Combined with an Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. Vol. 8. New York: United editors association. 1909 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Blanche Mary Channing". The Animals Defender. 7 (9): 8–9. September 1902. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "At Rennes". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. September 1, 1899. p. 7. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Channing, Blanche Mary (August 1888). "Methody Jim". Time. pp. 151–154 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ a b "The Balaster Boys". The Buffalo Commercial. December 6, 1902. p. 7. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c "Books of Adventure for Young Readers". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 11, 1902. p. 9. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Channing, Blanche Mary (November 2, 1899). "Zodiac Stories". New York: E.P. Dutton & Company – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Channing, Blanche Mary (November 2, 1901). "Winifred West: A Story". Boston: W.A. Wilde Company – via Google Books.
  15. ^ Channing, Blanche Mary (1904). Lullaby Castle, and Other Poems. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company – via Google Books.
  16. ^ "For Young Readers". The Presbyterian. 69 (52): 27. December 27, 1899 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ a b "Zodiac Stories". The Literary News. 20 (12): 378. December 1899 – via Google Books.