Ann Sophia Stephens (March 10, 1810 – August 20, 1886) was an American novelist and magazine editor. She was the author of dime novels and is credited as the progenitor of that genre.
Ann Sophia Stephens was born on March 30, 1810, in Derby, Connecticut;[2] she was the daughter of Ann and John Winterbotham, son of William Winterbotham. He was the manager of a woolen mill owned by Col. David Humphreys. Her mother died early and she was brought up by her mother's sister, who eventually became her stepmother. She was educated at a dame school in South Britain, Connecticut, and started writing at an early age.[3] She married Edward Stephens, a printer from Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1831 and they relocated to Portland, Maine.[4] The actress Clara Bloodgood was the daughter of their son, Edward Stephens, a well known New York lawyer.[5]
Careeredit
Cover of Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter (1860)
While in Portland, she and her husband co-founded, published and edited the Portland Magazine, a monthly literary periodical where some of her early work first appeared.[3] The magazine was sold in 1837. They moved to New York where Ann took the job of editor to The Ladies Companion and where she could further her literary work. This was also the time she adopted the humorous pseudonym Jonathan Slick. Over the next few years she wrote over twenty-five serial novels plus short stories and poems for several well known periodicals which included Godey's Lady's Book and Graham's Magazine.[6] Her first novel Fashion and Famine was published in 1854. She started her own magazine Mrs Stephens' Illustrated New Monthly in 1856, it was published by her husband.[7] The magazine merged with Peterson's Magazine a few years later.
The term "dime novel" originated with Stephens's Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter, printed in the first book in Beadle & Adams'sBeadle’s Dime Novels series, dated June 9, 1860. The novel was a reprint of Stephens's earlier serial that appeared in the Ladies' Companion magazine in February, March, and April 1839. Later, the Grolier Club listed Malaeska as the most influential book of 1860.[8] Some of her other work includes High Life in New York (1843), Alice Copley: A Tale of Queen Mary's Time (1844), The Diamond Necklace and Other Tale (1846), The Old Homestead (1855), The Rejected Wife (1863) and A Noble Woman (1871).
Worksedit
Alice Copley: A Tale of Queen Mary's Time
A Noble Woman
Bellehood and Bondage
Bertha's Engagement
The Curse of Gold
The Diamond Necklace and Other Tale
The Deserted Wife
Doubly False
Fashion and Famine
The Gold Brick
The Gulf Between Them
The Heiress
High Life in New York
Katharine Allen; or, The Gold Brick
Lord Hope's Choice
Mabel's Mistake
Malaeska, the Indian Wife of the White Hunter
Married in Haste
Mary Derwent
The Old Countess
The Old Homestead
Palaces and Prisons
The Reigning Belle
The Rejected Wife
Ruby Gray's Strategy
Silent Struggles
The Soldiers' Orphans
The Wife's Secret
Wives and Widows
The Lady Mary
Referencesedit
^ abMcHenry, Robert, ed. (1980), Famous American Women: A Biographical Dictionary from Colonial Times to the Present (2nd ed.), Courier Dover Publications, p. 392, ISBN0486245233.
^Linkon, Sherry Lee (1997). In her own voice: nineteenth-century American women essayists. Taylor & Francis. p. 114. ISBN0-8153-2652-1.
^ abThe National cyclopaedia of American biography. J. T. White company. 1900. p. 20.
^"Portraits of American Women Writers". Ann S. Stephens. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
^Edward Stephens (obituary) New York Times October 2, 1913, pg. 11
^Tebbel, John. A History of Book Publishing in the United States – Volume I: The Creation of an Industry (1630-1865). New York City: R.R. Bowker Co., 1972. p. 248
^James, Edward; Janet Wison James; Paul S. Boyer (1971). Notable American women, 1607–1950. Harvard University Press. pp. 360–362. ISBN0-674-62734-2. Ann Sophia Stephens died 1886.
^Nelson, Randy F. The Almanac of American Letters. Los Altos, California: William Kaufmann, Inc., 1981: 201. ISBN0-86576-008-X
"Ann S. Stephens". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
December 15, 2023
stephens, sophia, stephens, march, 1810, august, 1886, american, novelist, magazine, editor, author, dime, novels, credited, progenitor, that, genre, sophia, stephens, circa, 1844bornmarch, 1810, diedaugust, 1886, aged, newport, rhode, islandnationalityamerica. Ann Sophia Stephens March 10 1810 August 20 1886 was an American novelist and magazine editor She was the author of dime novels and is credited as the progenitor of that genre Ann Sophia StephensAnn S Stephens circa 1844BornMarch 30 1810 1 DiedAugust 20 1886 aged 76 1 Newport Rhode IslandNationalityAmericanOther namesJonathan SlickOccupationsEditor writer humorist Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Works 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editAnn Sophia Stephens was born on March 30 1810 in Derby Connecticut 2 she was the daughter of Ann and John Winterbotham son of William Winterbotham He was the manager of a woolen mill owned by Col David Humphreys Her mother died early and she was brought up by her mother s sister who eventually became her stepmother She was educated at a dame school in South Britain Connecticut and started writing at an early age 3 She married Edward Stephens a printer from Plymouth Massachusetts in 1831 and they relocated to Portland Maine 4 The actress Clara Bloodgood was the daughter of their son Edward Stephens a well known New York lawyer 5 Career edit nbsp Cover of Malaeska the Indian Wife of the White Hunter 1860 While in Portland she and her husband co founded published and edited the Portland Magazine a monthly literary periodical where some of her early work first appeared 3 The magazine was sold in 1837 They moved to New York where Ann took the job of editor to The Ladies Companion and where she could further her literary work This was also the time she adopted the humorous pseudonym Jonathan Slick Over the next few years she wrote over twenty five serial novels plus short stories and poems for several well known periodicals which included Godey s Lady s Book and Graham s Magazine 6 Her first novel Fashion and Famine was published in 1854 She started her own magazine Mrs Stephens Illustrated New Monthly in 1856 it was published by her husband 7 The magazine merged with Peterson s Magazine a few years later The term dime novel originated with Stephens s Malaeska the Indian Wife of the White Hunter printed in the first book in Beadle amp Adams s Beadle s Dime Novels series dated June 9 1860 The novel was a reprint of Stephens s earlier serial that appeared in the Ladies Companion magazine in February March and April 1839 Later the Grolier Club listed Malaeska as the most influential book of 1860 8 Some of her other work includes High Life in New York 1843 Alice Copley A Tale of Queen Mary s Time 1844 The Diamond Necklace and Other Tale 1846 The Old Homestead 1855 The Rejected Wife 1863 and A Noble Woman 1871 Works editAlice Copley A Tale of Queen Mary s Time A Noble Woman Bellehood and Bondage Bertha s Engagement The Curse of Gold The Diamond Necklace and Other Tale The Deserted Wife Doubly False Fashion and Famine The Gold Brick The Gulf Between Them The Heiress High Life in New York Katharine Allen or The Gold Brick Lord Hope s Choice Mabel s Mistake Malaeska the Indian Wife of the White Hunter Married in Haste Mary Derwent The Old Countess The Old Homestead Palaces and Prisons The Reigning Belle The Rejected Wife Ruby Gray s Strategy Silent Struggles The Soldiers Orphans The Wife s Secret Wives and Widows The Lady MaryReferences edit a b McHenry Robert ed 1980 Famous American Women A Biographical Dictionary from Colonial Times to the Present 2nd ed Courier Dover Publications p 392 ISBN 0486245233 Linkon Sherry Lee 1997 In her own voice nineteenth century American women essayists Taylor amp Francis p 114 ISBN 0 8153 2652 1 a b The National cyclopaedia of American biography J T White company 1900 p 20 Portraits of American Women Writers Ann S Stephens Retrieved September 21 2009 Edward Stephens obituary New York Times October 2 1913 pg 11 Tebbel John A History of Book Publishing in the United States Volume I The Creation of an Industry 1630 1865 New York City R R Bowker Co 1972 p 248 James Edward Janet Wison James Paul S Boyer 1971 Notable American women 1607 1950 Harvard University Press pp 360 362 ISBN 0 674 62734 2 Ann Sophia Stephens died 1886 Nelson Randy F The Almanac of American Letters Los Altos California William Kaufmann Inc 1981 201 ISBN 0 86576 008 XExternal links edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about Ann S Stephens nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ann S Stephens Works by Ann S Stephens at Nickels and Dimes from Northern Illinois University Works by Ann Sophia Stephens at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Ann S Stephens at Internet Archive Ann S Stephens Find a Grave Retrieved August 9 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ann S Stephens amp oldid 1178132462, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
