Annie Haven Thwing
Annie Haven Thwing (July 4, 1851 – June 5, 1940), also known as A.H. Thwing or Anne Haven Thwing, was an American historian and children's author. Her book for children, Chicken Little, with illustrations by Nelly Littlehale Umbstaetter, appeared in 1899;[1] as the title suggests, the book re-tells the old story of a chicken who believes the sky is falling. As an historian Thwing compiled an enormous card index of subjects related to the history of Boston, Massachusetts. She donated the index to the Massachusetts Historical Society, where the cards "occupied seventy-four library drawers in the catalog room."[2] She also created a 3-dimensional model of the town of Boston as it appeared in 1775, based on her research. The model now resides on public display in the Old South Meeting House.[3] In 1920 her book on Boston history, The Crooked & Narrow Streets of the Town of Boston 1630-1822, reached the Boston Globe best-seller list.[4] At the time the book sold for five dollars.[5] In addition to her work on Boston history she wrote about Orr's Island, Maine, where her family maintained a residence. In the course of her life she corresponded with a number of notables including Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Fanny Bowditch Dixwell Holmes, Alice James, Charles Franklin Thwing, Horace Howard Furness, and Edward Everett Hale.[6] She also contributed to charitable causes such as the Massachusetts Infant Asylum.[7]
References
- ^ "(Advertisement for Chicken Little)", The Black Cat, vol. 5, 1899
- ^ Weekly Genealogist, New England Historic Genealogical Society, October 5, 2001
- ^ Stephanie Schorow (April 4, 2000), "If These Walls Could Talk; `Voices of Protest' Retraces 300 Years of Debate at Old South Meeting House", Boston Herald
- ^ "Latest books: Best sellers of the week", Boston Daily Globe, p. 6, November 6, 1920
- ^ "(Jordan Marsh advertisement)", Boston Daily Globe, p. 11, October 28, 1920
- ^ "Annie Haven Thwing scrapbooks, 1864-1934", Online Catalog, Massachusetts Historical Society, retrieved August 1, 2009
- ^ "Pretty Lawn Fete at Brookline; Event on Mrs. Albert F. Bigelow's Estate in Aid of the Massachusetts Infant Asylum", Boston Daily Globe, p. 16, May 15, 1910
Further reading
Works by Thwing
- Nelly Littlehale Umbstaetter (illustrator) (1899). Chicken Little.
- A List of Books for Boys and Girls to Read for Study and for Pleasure. 1909.
- The Crooked & Narrow Streets of the Town of Boston 1630-1822. Boston: Marshall Jones Co. 1920.
- The Story of Orr's Island, Maine. 1926.
About Thwing
- Philip S. Thayer (April 1985), The Thwing Collection: A Resource for Boston Genealogy, New England Historic Genealogical Society
- Lynn Betlock (Spring 1995). "Annie Haven Thwing: Guardian of the Crooked and Narrow Streets". Dial of the Old South Clock. 7.
- Len Travers (1999). "'You See I am Addicted to Facts:' Annie Haven Thwing and the Crooked and Narrow Streets of Boston". Massachusetts Historical Review. 1.
External links
- Works by or about Annie Haven Thwing at the Internet Archive
- WorldCat. Thwing, Annie Haven 1851-
- Open Library. Works by Annie Haven Thwing
