Emma Bell Miles facts for kids

Emma Bell Miles (October 19, 1879 – March 19, 1919) was a talented writer, poet, and artist. She is known for her amazing descriptions of nature and the unique culture of the Appalachian mountains in the southern United States.

Early Life and Education

Emma Bell was born on October 19, 1879, in Evansville, Indiana. Her parents, Benjamin Franklin Bell and Martha Ann Mirick Bell, were both teachers. Emma spent her early childhood in Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. This was a small town located by the Ohio River.

When Emma was nine, her family moved to Red Bank, Tennessee. They later moved to Walden's Ridge, which is now called Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

Emma left home to study art in St. Louis, Missouri. But she missed her home and family. After only two years, she returned to Walden's Ridge. There, she met and fell in love with George Franklin Miles, also known as Frank.

Emma married Frank on October 30, 1901. This was just three weeks after her mother passed away. Emma and Frank had five children together:

• Twin daughters Jean and Judith (born September 1902)
• Son Joe Winchester (born February 1905)
• Daughter Katharine “Kitty” (born January 1907)
• Son Mark (born March 1909)

Sadly, Mark died in 1913 from scarlet fever when he was only three years old.

Life on the Mountain

Emma and Frank often faced challenges in their life together. They sometimes struggled with money. Emma worked hard to help support her family. She often wrote in her journal about her daily life.

Emma sometimes lived in Chattanooga to earn money. She gave lectures that people enjoyed. She even worked as a writer at Lincoln Memorial University for a short time. Even though she liked city life, Emma always returned to her simple home on the mountain. She loved the quiet life there with her husband.

In 1914, Emma worked for the Chattanooga News newspaper for two months. She used her earnings to pay her family's bills. She often spent weekends in the countryside. This helped her relax away from the city.

Emma's health became weaker over time. In 1915, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. This was a serious illness. She spent several years at the Pine Breeze Sanitarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Emma Bell Miles passed away on March 19, 1919. She was buried in a simple grave in Red Bank, Tennessee.

Career as a Writer

Emma and Frank often relied on Emma's writing for income. She wrote many short stories and poems. She also made money by selling her art as greeting cards.

In 1904, Emma sold her first poem to Harper's Monthly magazine. It was an eleven-verse poem called “The Difference.” It appeared in the March issue. The next month, another poem of hers, “Homesick,” was published. She wrote this poem when she was living in St. Louis.

Emma also wrote articles for local newspapers. One popular series was called The Fountain Square Conversations. In these stories, birds would gather at a fountain in downtown Chattanooga. They would have interesting talks about life.

Emma's most famous book was The Spirit of the Mountains. It was published in 1905. This book was special because it combined different styles. It included:

• Stories about local life
• Short stories
• Travel stories
• Her own personal memories
• Ideas about culture

A chapter about music from The Spirit of the Mountains was first published in 1904. It was an article called “Some Real American Music” in Harper's Monthly. This was one of the first articles to truly appreciate Appalachian music in a popular magazine. Emma's book, Our Southern Birds, was published in 1922.

Emma's journals also mention other books she wrote that were never published. These include The Good Gray Mother and Our Southern Flowers. Some of Emma's poetry, journals, and short stories were published later. These collections include:

• Strains from a Dulcimore (1930)
• Once I Too Had Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908-1918 (2014)
• The Common Lot and Other Stories: The Published Short Fiction, 1908-1921 (2016)

Legacy

Emma Bell Miles left behind a valuable collection of writings. Her work helps us understand life in the Appalachian mountains during her time. In 2017, Grace Toney Edwards gave a talk about Emma Bell Miles at the Glencoe Mansion.