Catharine Webb Barber

Catharine Webb Barber (October 25, 1823 - November 15, 1893) was an American teacher, newspaper editor, and author. She was born in Massachusetts, but came South, settling first in Georgia and afterward in Alabama.[1] She was known by three surnames, including Barber, Towles (sometime spelled, "Towle"), and McCoy.[2][3]

Catharine Webb Barber (1868)
Catharine Webb Barber signature

Biography

Catharine [lower-alpha 1] Webb Barber was born in Charlemont, a village on the banks of the Deerfield River, in Franklin County, Massachusetts, October 25, 1823. She was the youngest of ten children of Rufus Barber,[6] of Worcester, Massachusetts, a New England farmer. In 1843, her father died,[lower-alpha 2] and Barber, at the advice of her brother, came south, and entered the Lafayette Female Seminary, at Chambers Court House, Alabama.[6] She afterwards taught in the same institution.[7]

From 1849 to 1852, in Madison, Georgia, she served as editor of the Madison Visitor. In 1861, she moved to Newnan, Georgia, and became editor of the Southern Literary Companion, which she continued to edit until its suspension in 1865.[7] In 1866, she became the editor and proprietor of Miss Barber's Weekly, which she continued till her marriage to John C. Towles, of Lafayette, in 1867.[6] For several newspapers and magazines, she filled the role of the "Women's Department" editor.[8]

In 1884, she married Jett T. McCoy. After his death, she resided at Columbus, Georgia.[6]

She began to write verses for the newspapers at an early age.[6] She published Tales for the Freemason's Fireside (New York, 1859); The Three Golden Links (Cassville, Georgia, 1857); and Poor Claire, or Life Among the Queer (1888).[6][9] Her novelette Briarbrook (1866) was published by Scott's Monthly Magazine.[10][11]

She died November 15, 1893, in Columbus, Georgia.[12]

Awards and honors

She has received honorary degrees from southern colleges.[6]

Selected works
"Establishing a bibliography of the works of Catharine W . Barber Towles McCoy is as difficult as establishing the facts of her life. Only a few of her numerous contributions to ephemeral Georgia periodicals can now definitely be known." (The Alabama Review, 1983)[13]
  • Tales for the Freemason's Fireside (New York, 1859)
  • The Three Golden Links (Cassville, Georgia, 1857)
  • Briarbrook (1866)
  • Poor Claire, or Life Among the Queer (1888)

Notes
  1. Her given name was sometimes spelled, "Catherine" or "Katherine".[4][5]
  2. According to Wilson & Fiske (1889), Barber's father died in 1846.[6]

References
  1. Alderman, Harris & Kent 1910, p. 21.
  2. White 2013, pp. 93, 241, 242, 278.
  3. Johnson 1909, p. 59.
  4. Owen 1921, p. 1678.
  5. Engstfeld 1923, p. 47.
  6. Wilson & Fiske 1889, p. 147.
  7. Davidson 1869, pp. 33-34.
  8. Wells 2011, p. 109.
  9. Warner, Mabie & Warner 1897, p. 530.
  10. Scott & Wylly 1866, pp. 227, 291, 380, 455, 525, 581.
  11. Wells 2011, p. 127.
  12. Herringshaw 1914, p. 99.
  13. Alabama Historical Association 1983, p. 177.

Attribution
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Alderman, Edwin Anderson; Harris, Joel Chandler; Kent, Charles William (1910). Library of Southern Literature: Biographical dictionary of authors. Martin and Hoyt Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Davidson, James Wood (1869). The Living Writers of the South (Public domain ed.). Carleton.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Engstfeld, Mrs. Caroline P. (1923). Bibliography of Alabama Authors (Public domain ed.). Howard college.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herringshaw, Thomas William (1914). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Maas-Richards (Public domain ed.). American Publishers' Association.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Johnson, James Gibson (1909). Southern Fiction Prior to 1860: An Attempt at a First-hand Bibliography (Public domain ed.). Michie Company, Printers.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Owen, Thomas McAdory (1921). History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography (Public domain ed.). S. J. Clarke publishing Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Scott, William J.; Wylly, William Henry (1866). Scott's Monthly Magazine. 1–2 (Public domain ed.). J.J. Toon.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Warner, Charles Dudley; Mabie, Hamilton Wright; Warner, Charles Henry (1897). Library of the World's Best Literature: Biographical dictionary (Public domain ed.). International Society.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wilson, James Grant; Fiske, John (1889). Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography. 6 (Public domain ed.). D. Appleton.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Bibliography
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