Georgia Roberts Durston facts for kids

Georgia Roberts Durston (born December 1, 1868 – died July 4, 1947) was an American writer. She wrote many things, including novels, articles about the outdoors, and poetry.

Interestingly, her novels were often published under different male pen names. These included George Durston, Major Robert Maitland, Colonel George Durston, Captain John Blaine, and Colonel James Fiske. Many school children learned her animal poems, like "The Wolf" and "The Rabbit." These poems were very popular and appeared in famous school books.

About Georgia Roberts Durston

Her Early Life

Georgia Roberts Durston was born on December 1, 1868, in Utica, New York. She was the only child of Thomas Dana Roberts and Shattiece D. MacKenzie.

When she was a teenager, Georgia went to Houghton Seminary. This was a well-known boarding school for girls in Clinton, New York. After she finished school, Georgia stayed involved with the school's former students. She even gave speeches at graduation ceremonies in 1886 and 1896.

Georgia had planned to go to college. However, she wasn't feeling well. So, she went to a health spa instead. This spa was in Glen Haven, New York. There, a doctor helped people with a "water cure." This meant getting fresh air, light exercise, rest, and healthy baths in mountain water.

Marriage and Family Life

On July 2, 1890, Georgia married Alfred Tennyson Durston. He was from Syracuse, New York. After they got married, Georgia and Alfred traveled together for three years.

Georgia and her husband loved spending time outdoors. In 1897, she wrote an article about deer hunting. It was published in Outing magazine. The next year, Outing printed her article about fly-fishing.

In 1898, Georgia and Alfred had a daughter. They named her Georgia Durston, but everyone called her "Babe." Georgia kept writing. In 1906, her children's poems were published by Saalfield Publishing. She dedicated these books, called Candlelight and The Toy Village, to her daughter. They had beautiful pictures by Katharine H. Greenland.

Sadly, Alfred Durston died suddenly in 1909. He was only 40 years old. After her husband passed away, Georgia and her daughter continued to live in Syracuse. Their home was called “Primrose Farm.”

Besides raising Plymouth Rock chickens for eggs, they had many pets. They showed their animals at the New York State Fair. They had six Collies, an Airedale, and a Brussels Griffon. One of their collies, named Knocklayde King Ben, won many awards in 1915.

Her Writing Career

Georgia Roberts Durston was one of several writers hired by Saalfield Publishing. They wanted a series of books for teenage boys. These books had a patriotic theme and featured Boy Scouts.

Other writers for this series were popular male authors. Twenty-four books came out in the "Boy Scouts" series between 1912 and 1919. They were all published under the name Major Robert Maitland. This was a "publisher-owned pseudonym," meaning the publisher owned the name, not one specific writer.

Georgia held the copyright for three books in the series: The Boy Scouts' Champion Recruit, Boy Scouts' Defiance, and Boy Scouts' Challenge. Interestingly, the collie dog in the book The Boy Scouts to the Rescue was named Knocklayde King Ben. This was the same name as Georgia's own prize-winning dog! Later, the series was reprinted under another name, Colonel George Durston.

Georgia also held the copyright for Boy Scouts on a Submarine in 1918. This book was published under the name Captain John Blaine. The same book had also been published as Fighting the U-boat Menace by Colonel James Fiske. She is also believed to have written A Boy's Life of General Pershing. This book came out under the name George Durston. It was a biography of a famous general, John J. Pershing. Georgia added a fictional character named “George Durston” into the story. This character was Pershing's childhood friend and later his first roommate at West Point.

Later Life and Legacy

Georgia Roberts Durston passed away on July 4, 1947. She was 78 years old. She died in San Antonio, Texas, and is buried there.

Even though her books are no longer printed, Georgia's most famous poems are still well-known. "The Wolf" and "The Rabbit" have appeared in many poetry collections. These include the Random House Book of Poetry for Children. They even appeared in stories from the Australian Broadcasting Company!