Clara Doty Bates facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clara Doty Bates
"A woman of the century"
Born	Clara Doty December 22, 1838 Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Died	October 14, 1895(1895-10-14) (aged 56) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	author
Language	English
Nationality	American
Genre	poetry, juvenile literature
Notable works	Aesop's Fables in Verse
Spouse	Morgan Bates ​ (m. 1869)​

Clara Doty Bates (born December 22, 1838 – died October 14, 1895) was an American writer. She was famous for her poetry and books for young people. Many of her books had beautiful pictures drawn by her sister.

Clara's stories and poems appeared in popular magazines. These included St. Nicholas Magazine, The Youth's Companion, and Golden Days for Boys and Girls. She also helped create the Children's Building at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Clara's Early Life and School

Clara Doty was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on December 22, 1838. Her parents, Samuel Rosecrans Doty and Hannah Lawrence, were early settlers in Michigan. Clara had a brother named Duane and a sister named Helen Ann.

Her family home in Ann Arbor was called "Heart's Content." It was known for having many books and pictures. Clara loved to rhyme from a very young age. She wrote poems even when she could only print big letters. Her first poem was published when she was just nine years old!

Ann Arbor was home to the University of Michigan. This meant Clara and her siblings had good chances for education. Even though women couldn't attend the university equally yet, Clara and her sister got private lessons in advanced subjects.

Clara's Writing Career

Clara Doty Bates wrote many books, mostly for children. Some of her well-known books include "Æsop's Tables Versified" and "Classics of Babyland." These books were published in Boston.

While she mostly wrote for kids, she also wrote for grown-up magazines sometimes. But she was best known for her fun stories and sketches for young readers. She often wrote for St. Nicholas, The Youth's Companion, and Golden Days. She was also a regular writer for Wide Awake.

Her first book for children was Blind Jakey. It was a Sunday school book and sold very well. Her most successful book was Aesop's Fables in Verse. Another book, Heart's Content, was named after her childhood home. Her last book of poems was called From Heart's Content.

Before the World's Columbian Exposition opened, Clara worked hard. She wanted to create a special library just for children. She managed to gather many books from publishers around the world. She even set up the library herself at the Exposition!

Clara's Personal Life

On September 2, 1869, Clara married Morgan Bates. He was a newspaper writer and wrote plays. They lived in Chicago, Illinois. They did not have any children.

Clara was part of a literary club called the Fortnightly of Chicago. She also helped with the Woman's Branch of the World's Congress Auxiliary. Sadly, many of her writings and notes were lost when her father's house burned down. This included a finished story and a novel she was still writing.

Clara suffered from pain for five years before she passed away. She died on October 14, 1895, in Chicago. She was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Ann Arbor.

Clara's Writing Style

Before 1860, Graham's Magazine was a very important literary magazine in the United States. Clara Doty, before she was married, was one of its most valued writers. In 1858, the magazine praised her writing.

They said her poems were very unique. They felt she had a clear and sensitive mind. Her songs were often based on deep, sometimes mythical, ideas.

Selected Books by Clara Doty Bates