Georgina Fraser Newhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgina Fraser Newhall
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| Born | Georgina Alexandrina Fraser 2 September 1860 Galt, Canada West |
| Died | 11 November 1932 (aged 72) Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Occupation | author, stenographer, teacher |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Alma mater | Dr. Tassie's School |
| Genre | journalism, poetry, short stories, essays |
| Notable works | "Fraser's Drinking Song" |
| Spouse |
Eugene Pier Newhall
(m. 1884) |
Georgina Fraser Newhall (born Fraser; 2 September 1860 – 11 November 1932) was a Canadian writer and teacher. She wrote poems and short stories. She was also the first woman in Canada to work as a stenographer. A stenographer uses shorthand to quickly write down what people say.
Georgina was known for her writing. She was the official poet, or "bardess," for the Clan Fraser Society of Canada. Her song, "Fraser's Drinking Song," became the society's welcome song. It was sung to a strong, marching tune. Georgina wrote many articles for popular magazines and newspapers. She also wrote many short stories, finding great success with them. She often wrote about important ideas, especially about women's roles in society and work. Georgina Fraser Newhall passed away in 1932.
Early Life and Schooling
Georgina Fraser was born in Galt, Canada West, on September 2, 1860. Her family had Scottish roots, including the Mackenzie, MacLeod, Munro, and Fraser clans. Her father, James George Fraser, was a respected citizen of Galt. He came from the Fraser family of Stratherrick in Scotland.
Her father had been in a Highland regiment when he was younger. He later moved to Canada with his wife, Christina MacLeod. Georgina was the youngest of their seven children. Her mother's family also had a long Scottish history.
Georgina was a very smart child. She went to public and high schools in Galt. She also studied at Dr. Tassie's School. After her parents died, she moved to Toronto. There, she began to study shorthand, which is a fast way of writing.
Career and Writing
After finishing her studies, Georgina lived in Quebec for a few years. Then she moved to Toronto. She worked as an amanuensis, which means she wrote down what others dictated. She saw that many working girls needed help. She decided to teach them stenography, a skill she knew very well.
She started classes to teach shorthand. These classes became very popular in towns near Toronto. She also taught at Victoria College (now Victoria University, Toronto) when it was in Cobourg. Besides teaching, she also worked as a journalist. She was the first woman writer in Toronto to manage a section about women's interests in a daily newspaper. This job helped her become a skilled descriptive writer.
In 1884, Georgina married Eugene Pier Newhall. At the time, she was working as an Assistant Secretary for a railway company in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her husband worked for an express company in Omaha, Nebraska. After they married, she divided her time between their home in Canton, Ohio, and a fruit farm she owned in Scarborough Township, Ontario.
Georgina became a successful writer. Her short stories, magazine articles, and poems made her well-known. She was the official poet for the Clan Fraser Society of Canada. Her writing covered many topics, but she often wrote about Scottish subjects. Her "Fraser's Drinking Song" was chosen as the "Failte" (welcome song) for the Clan Fraser Society. It was sung at their yearly meetings with music composed by John Lewis Browne.
Personal Life
Georgina was proud of her Scottish heritage. She liked to call herself a "black" Fraser. This was a playful way of saying she was a "true Fraser" because she had dark hair and eyebrows.
