Mary French was born May 10, 1847, at Bridgewater, Pennsylvania. Her father was Joseph French, a civil engineer, and her mother Elizabeth J. French (née Poorman), a spiritualist who later practiced "galvanic medicine" in Boston, as did her sister, Dr. Belle French Patterson.
She was educated in the United States and overseas, studying art and developing into an author and ethnologist.
Careeredit
In 1876, she married an American, Eli Lemon Sheldon (1848-1892), a banker and author,[1][2] and they moved to London where they established publishing firms.
Sheldon is noted as a translator of Flaubert's Salammbô, and was the author of papers and essays. As a writer, Sheldon wrote a number of novels, short stories, and essays.[3]
She acquired fame for an expedition. In 1891, inspired by the activities of Henry Morton Stanley, who was a family friend, she left London for Africa. Her travels were sponsored by Sir Alfred Jones, who had been requested by King Leopold II of Belgium to dampen British criticism of human rights abuses in the Congo. While in the Congo, she traveled on steamboats owned by the state and its company allies, who controlled where she went and what she saw.
When she returned to England, Jones helped place her articles in newspapers. She stated "I have witnessed more atrocities in London streets than I have ever seen in the Congo." She gave a presentation/slide show for an audience of five hundred at the Savoy Hotel in London, with expenses paid by King Leopold. Thereafter, the king paid her a monthly salary to lobby members of Parliament.[4]
She obtained assistance from African peoples as she explored around Lake Chala. Her journey from Mombassa to Mount Kilimanjaro caused a sensation because she was not accompanied by a white companion (although she was hardly unaccompanied - she had 150 Zanzibari porters and guides).[5] She returned with ethnographic materials, wrote on her experience, and undertook a lecture tour.
French Sheldon received multiple awards for her exhibition at the World's Columbian Exposition, and was appointed membership in societies such as the Writer's Club and the Anthropological Society of Washington. She was made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society,[3] among the first fifteen women to receive this honour, in November 1892.[6]
^"Death of Mr E L Sheldon". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 30 June 1892. p. 2. A wide circle of friends will hear with deep regret of the sudden death Sunday last, at Riverdale, Hampton, of Mr L. Sheldon, editor of "Everybody's Pocket Cyclopaedia," the "Writing Desk Book," and other useful reference handbooks. The deceased was in the prime life, having been born in Michigan in 1848. He was a highly-esteemed authority on American finance, and was regular writer upon economic and statistical subjects. Sheldon was personally beloved for rare sweetness of disposition. He had only a few days returned from America, where his wife, Mrs French Sheldon, is seeing through the press the book of travels descriptive of her recent adventurous journey in the interior of Africa. The sad news was cabled to her at Boston. Mr Sheldon caught cold while is the States, and death was due to heart failure, following upon attack of pleurisy.
^"Mr Eli Lemon Sheldon". Times. 30 June 1892. p. 5 – via The Times Digital Archive.
^"Mrs. French-Sheldon". Times. 11 February 1936. p. 16 – via The Times Digital Archive.
^"Deaths". Times. 12 February 1936. p. 1 – via The Times Digital Archive.
Sourcesedit
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Eagle, Mary Kavanaugh Oldham (1895). "«An African Expedition» by Mrs. May French Sheldon, F. R. G. S.". The Congress of Women Held in the Woman's Building: World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, U.S.A., 1893 (Public domain ed.). International Publishing Company.
Larson, Frances (2009). An infinity of things how Sir Henry Wellcome collected the world. Oxford University Press. p. 225. ISBN9780199554461. OCLC 838260896.
Bell, Morag; McEwan, Cheryl (November 1996). "The Admission of Women Fellows to the Royal Geographical Society, 1892–1914; the Controversy and the Outcome". The Geographical Journal. 162 (3): 295–312. doi:10.2307/3059652. JSTOR 3059652.
Boisseau, Tracey Jean (2004). White Queen: May French-Sheldon and the Imperial Origins of American Feminist Identity. Indiana University Press. ISBN0-253-11102-1.
External linksedit
African Women Bibliographic Database
December 15, 2023
french, sheldon, mary, french, sheldon, 1847, february, 1936, author, american, author, explorer, sheldon, 1891, contents, early, years, education, career, references, sources, external, linksearly, years, education, editmary, french, born, 1847, bridgewater, . Mary French Sheldon 10 May 1847 10 February 1936 as author May French Sheldon was an American author and explorer Sheldon in 1891 Contents 1 Early years and education 2 Career 3 References 3 1 Sources 4 External linksEarly years and education editMary French was born May 10 1847 at Bridgewater Pennsylvania Her father was Joseph French a civil engineer and her mother Elizabeth J French nee Poorman a spiritualist who later practiced galvanic medicine in Boston as did her sister Dr Belle French Patterson She was educated in the United States and overseas studying art and developing into an author and ethnologist Career editIn 1876 she married an American Eli Lemon Sheldon 1848 1892 a banker and author 1 2 and they moved to London where they established publishing firms Sheldon is noted as a translator of Flaubert s Salammbo and was the author of papers and essays As a writer Sheldon wrote a number of novels short stories and essays 3 She acquired fame for an expedition In 1891 inspired by the activities of Henry Morton Stanley who was a family friend she left London for Africa Her travels were sponsored by Sir Alfred Jones who had been requested by King Leopold II of Belgium to dampen British criticism of human rights abuses in the Congo While in the Congo she traveled on steamboats owned by the state and its company allies who controlled where she went and what she saw When she returned to England Jones helped place her articles in newspapers She stated I have witnessed more atrocities in London streets than I have ever seen in the Congo She gave a presentation slide show for an audience of five hundred at the Savoy Hotel in London with expenses paid by King Leopold Thereafter the king paid her a monthly salary to lobby members of Parliament 4 She obtained assistance from African peoples as she explored around Lake Chala Her journey from Mombassa to Mount Kilimanjaro caused a sensation because she was not accompanied by a white companion although she was hardly unaccompanied she had 150 Zanzibari porters and guides 5 She returned with ethnographic materials wrote on her experience and undertook a lecture tour French Sheldon received multiple awards for her exhibition at the World s Columbian Exposition and was appointed membership in societies such as the Writer s Club and the Anthropological Society of Washington She was made a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society 3 among the first fifteen women to receive this honour in November 1892 6 She died in London on 10 February 1936 7 with a funeral at Golders Green Crematorium 8 References edit Death of Mr E L Sheldon Dundee Evening Telegraph 30 June 1892 p 2 A wide circle of friends will hear with deep regret of the sudden death Sunday last at Riverdale Hampton of Mr L Sheldon editor of Everybody s Pocket Cyclopaedia the Writing Desk Book and other useful reference handbooks The deceased was in the prime life having been born in Michigan in 1848 He was a highly esteemed authority on American finance and was regular writer upon economic and statistical subjects Sheldon was personally beloved for rare sweetness of disposition He had only a few days returned from America where his wife Mrs French Sheldon is seeing through the press the book of travels descriptive of her recent adventurous journey in the interior of Africa The sad news was cabled to her at Boston Mr Sheldon caught cold while is the States and death was due to heart failure following upon attack of pleurisy Mr Eli Lemon Sheldon Times 30 June 1892 p 5 via The Times Digital Archive a b Eagle 1895 p 131 Hochschild Adam King Leopold s Ghost Mariner Books 1998 Larson 2009 Bell amp McEwan 1996 p 295 312 Mrs French Sheldon Times 11 February 1936 p 16 via The Times Digital Archive Deaths Times 12 February 1936 p 1 via The Times Digital Archive Sources edit nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Eagle Mary Kavanaugh Oldham 1895 An African Expedition by Mrs May French Sheldon F R G S The Congress of Women Held in the Woman s Building World s Columbian Exposition Chicago U S A 1893 Public domain ed International Publishing Company Larson Frances 2009 An infinity of things how Sir Henry Wellcome collected the world Oxford University Press p 225 ISBN 9780199554461 OCLC 838260896 Bell Morag McEwan Cheryl November 1996 The Admission of Women Fellows to the Royal Geographical Society 1892 1914 the Controversy and the Outcome The Geographical Journal 162 3 295 312 doi 10 2307 3059652 JSTOR 3059652 Boisseau Tracey Jean 2004 White Queen May French Sheldon and the Imperial Origins of American Feminist Identity Indiana University Press ISBN 0 253 11102 1 External links editAfrican Women Bibliographic Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title May French Sheldon amp oldid 1158349588, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
