Deland, Margaret (1857 - 1945)

Genre: General Fiction, Poetry

Novelist, Margaret Deland was born in Allegheny, Pa., and was raised by her uncle and his wife,. They lived in Manchester, Pa, which she transformed into the fictional "Old Chester" of her stories. She attended Pelham Priory School in New Rochelle, NY, and studied design at Cooper Union (NYC) for a year, and she was for a short time a drawing instructor at what is now Hunter College. Deland married Lorin Fuller Deland in 1880 and they lived in Kennebunkport, Maine (summers), and in Cambridge, Mass. She was awarded an honorary degree from Bowdoin College in 1931.

The Delands became involved in the plight of unwed mothers and took into their home about 60 women and infants in the space of 4 years. During this time, Deland began writing for greeting-card companies.

Deland's first published work was a poem, "The Succory," which appeared in Harpers magazine. During World War I, Deland did relief work in France and received the Legion of Honor. She was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1926.

Selected Bibliography

  • The Old Garden and other verses (1886), her only volume of poetry.
  • John Ward, Preacher (1888; the deep conflict between a preacher and his wife, who doesn't believe in eternal damnation)
  • Florida Days (1889)
  • A Summer Day (1889)
  • Philip and His Wife (1890)
  • Sidney: The Story of a Child (1892)
  • Mr Tommy Dove and other stories (1893)
  • The Wisdom of Fools (1897)
  • Old Chester Tales (1898)
  • Good for the Soul (1899)
  • Dr. Lavendar's People (1903)
  • The Common Way (1904)
  • The Awakening of Helena Richie (1906)
  • An Encore (1907)
  • Where the Laborers Are Few (1909)
  • The Way to Peace (1910)
  • The Iron Woman (1911)
  • The Voice (1912)
  • Partners (1913)
  • The Hands of Esau (1914)
  • Around Old Chester (1915)
  • The Rising Tide (1916)
  • The Story of Delia (1919)
  • The Promises of Alice (1919)
  • Small Things (1919)
  • An Old Chester Secret (1920)
  • The Vehement Flame (1922)
  • New Friends in Old Chester (1924)
  • The Kays (1926)
  • Captain Archer's Daugther (1932)
  • Confession (1933)
  • If This Be I (1935, autobiography)
  • Old Chester Days (1935)
  • Golden Yesterdays (1941, autobiography)

Selected Resources