Molly Elliot Seawell

Molly Elliot Seawell was born on October 23, 1860, in Gloucester, Virginia. She was a member of a family descending from the Seawells of Virginia and was a niece of President John Tyler. Her father was John Tyler Seawell, a lawyer and orator, and her mother was Frances Elizabeth Jackson Seawell, a Baltimore native and daughter of Major William Jackson, a notable officer in the War of 1812. The Seawell family name has variations in spelling, including "Sewell" and "Seawell," with regional pronunciation often as "Sowell."

Seawell was raised on a large plantation known as "The Shelter," which had historical significance as a former hospital during the American Revolutionary War. Her early education was primarily informal and took place at home, where she was exposed to extensive literature, including works from the 18th century, history, and the classics like William Shakespeare and Romantic poets. Her father, a scholar of the Classics, influenced her learning, and she was largely educated by her family environment. She did not read novels until after the age of 17, with her first being Oliver Goldsmith's "The Vicar of Wakefield."

Her childhood included activities such as riding, dancing, and piano playing. She also learned household management and riding, and her seafaring uncle, Joseph Seawell, influenced her future literary interests. Following her father's death when she was about 20, she moved with her mother and sister, Henrietta, from Gloucester to Norfolk and later to Washington, D.C.

Seawell traveled extensively in Europe, including visits to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Russia. She believed the therapeutic waters of baths in Russia and Germany improved her chronic eye condition. Her summers were often spent in Europe, and her travel experiences enriched her literary work. Her residence in Washington, on P Street near Du Pont Circle, functioned as a salon, hosting artists, writers, and notable visitors such as the Earl of Carlisle and Lady Dorothy Howard.

Her health was often fragile, and she withdrew from social life after the death of her mother and sister. Molly Elliot Seawell died of cancer on November 15, 1916, at her home in Washington, D.C., shortly after her 56th birthday. Her funeral was held in the Church of St. Matthew (now the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle), and she was buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Baltimore.

Seawell's literary career began in earnest after her father's death. She initially wrote under pseudonyms, including "Foxcroft Davis" and the Russian "Vera Sapoukhyn," until the publication of her short story "Maid Marian" in 1886, which she later dramatized. Her first novel, "Hale-Weston," appeared in 1889 and was translated into German, establishing her reputation. She published numerous works including fiction, short stories, historical narratives, and political essays.

Her writings encompassed regional fiction, romances, and nautical stories for boys. She demonstrated particular skill in characterization. Her style was said to resemble that of Jane Austen. Among her notable works are "Throckmorton," "Midshipman Paulding," "Paul Jones," "Mrs. Darrell," "The Victory," "The Whirl," and "Betty's Virginia Christmas." In addition to creative writing, she contributed political essays, notably a 1910 article opposing women's suffrage published in The Atlantic Monthly. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1910 and 1911 for her short stories and historical works.

Seawell also received awards, including a prize for a short story in 1890 and a $3,000 award from the New York Herald in 1895. Her work was well regarded and frequently included in standard reference works on American authors during her lifetime.