Mary Letitia Martin facts for kids
Mary Letitia Martin (born 1815, died 1850) was an Irish writer. She was sometimes called the "Princess of Connemara." Mary was taught at home and learned many languages. She wrote two books during her life, and another book was published after she died.
Mary lost her family's money during a very difficult time called the Great Famine. After this, she and her husband moved to Belgium for a while. There, she wrote for different magazines. In 1850, they sailed to America. Sadly, Mary died just 10 days after arriving because of problems from giving birth too early.
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Mary's Early Life and Family
Mary Letitia Martin was born in 1815. Her family, the Martins of Ballynahinch Castle, owned a lot of land in Connemara, Ireland. They were part of an important group of families called the Tribes of Galway.
Her parents were Thomas Barnwall Martin and Julia Kirwin. Her grandfather, Richard Martin, was a Member of Parliament (MP). This meant he was a politician who helped make laws.
Education and First Book
Mary was taught at home and also studied by herself. She became very good at many languages. She could speak Irish, English, and French, among others.
In 1845, Mary published her first novel. It was called St. Etienne, a Tale of the Vendean War.
In 1847, Mary married her cousin, Colonel Arthur Gonne Bell. He decided to take her family name, Martin, after they were married. That same year, Mary's father passed away. He caught a sickness, sometimes called "famine fever," while visiting people in a Clifden workhouse. Workhouses were places where poor people could go for food and shelter during difficult times.
The Great Famine and Its Impact
When Mary's father died, she inherited a huge amount of land. It was about 200,000 acres (810 km2) (which is a very large area). However, the family also had many debts.
During the next two years, the Great Famine made things even worse. Mary tried to help the people who lived on her land. She spent all her remaining money trying to ease their suffering.
Moving to Belgium
After losing everything, Mary and her husband had no money left. They decided to move to Belgium. While living there, Mary continued to write. She wrote for several magazines, including one called Encyclopaedie Des Gens Du Monde.
Journey to America and Later Life
In 1850, Mary's book, Julia Howard, was published. This book was about her own life experiences. In the same year, Mary and her husband sailed to America.
Mary's Death
Mary died just 10 days after they arrived in New York City. She had given birth too early while on the ship, and both she and the baby passed away.
Her husband, Arthur Gonne Martin, returned to England. He made sure that Mary's last novel, Deed, not Words, was published in 1857, after her death. Sadly, he also died later in 1883 in a train accident.
See also
- The Tribes of Galway
