Mary Evelyn Hitchcock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Evelyn Hitchcock
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| Born | Mary Evelyn Higgins March 10, 1849 Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | April 6, 1920 (aged 71) |
| Resting place | Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Pen name | Mary Doyle |
| Occupation | author, traveler |
| Alma mater | Lawrence Academy |
| Notable works | Two women in the Klondike: the story of a journey to the gold-fields of Alaska |
| Spouse | Roswell D. Hitchcock, Jr. |
| Children | 1 |
Mary Evelyn Hitchcock (born Higgins; March 10, 1849 – April 6, 1920) was an American writer and explorer. She was also known by her pen names, Mary Doyle and Mrs. Roswell D. Hitchcock. In the early 1900s, she was part of the Floradora Company, a theater group. She also worked as a reporter for the New York World newspaper.
Contents
Early Life and School
Mary Evelyn Higgins was born in Virginia on March 10, 1849. Her parents were Captain Thomas A. Higgins and Cecelia (Fitzgerald) Higgins. She went to school at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts. She earned special academic awards there.
Adventures and Career
Mary Evelyn married Commander Roswell D. Hitchcock, who was in the U.S. Navy. They had one daughter named Harriet. Mary Evelyn traveled a lot with her husband. She visited the 1873 Vienna World's Fair and the Paris Exposition in 1878. She also went to Japan twice, in 1882 and again in 1892. During her second trip to Japan, her husband was the captain of the ship USS Alert. After her husband passed away, she took a trip around the world by herself.
In 1898, Mary Evelyn went on an exciting trip to Klondike with her friend Edith Van Buren. They started their journey from San Francisco on a steamer ship. They brought many things with them, including their pets and an early movie camera called an animatoscope. Mary Evelyn even climbed Skagway Pass on foot before the railroad was built there. She later wrote a book about this adventure called Two Women in the Klondike.
Mary Evelyn was very impressed by the mining and farming chances in the Yukon. She shared what she learned by giving talks, which helped raise money for churches and hospitals. She went back to the north and claimed more than 100 mining areas. She became so involved in the area's finances that she spent most of five years there.
In 1904, Mary Evelyn Hitchcock started and led The Entertainment Club in New York City. She was also a special member of the National Geographic Society. She was also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Two Women in the Klondike Book
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The book Two Women in the Klondike: the story of a journey to the gold-fields of Alaska was published in 1899. It tells the story of Mary Evelyn Hitchcock and her friend Edith Van Buren. Edith was a grandniece of former President Martin Van Buren. The book describes their dangerous and exciting trip in the summer of 1898.
Because the Yukon River waters were low, the two women had to stay in Dawson City for a while. While there, they found mining claims and lived as squatters. The book shares interesting travel stories. It also gives great descriptions of the Klondike area. You can read about local customs, old beliefs, and how people mined for gold.
Later Life and Passing
Mary Evelyn Hitchcock passed away on April 6, 1920. She was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River, Massachusetts.
Selected Writings
- Two women in the Klondike : the story of a journey to the gold-fields of Alaska, 1899
- Tales out of school about naval officers (and others) by a woman who has lived on a man-of-war, 1908
- First reader : for use in the first year, 1912
- Second reader : for use in the second year, 1912
- Third reader, 1912
- Standard Catholic readers by grades. Third year, 1913
- Fifth reader : for use in the seventh and eighth years, 1913
- Life was like that, 1936
