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{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Eleanor Mercein Kelly
| name = Eleanor Mercein Kelly
| image = Eleanor Mercein Kelly 1933.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Photograph taken in Louisville, 1933
| birth_name = Eleanor Royce Mercein
| birth_name = Eleanor Royce Mercein
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1880|8|30|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1880|8|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], [[USA]]
| birth_place = [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|10|11|1880|8|30|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|10|11|1880|8|30|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Louisville]], [[Kentucky]], [[USA]]
| death_place = [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]], [[Kentucky]], United States
| occupation = [[Novelist]], [[short story writer]]
| occupation = [[Novelist]], [[short story writer]]
| genre = [[Romantic fiction]], [[Biography]], [[Travel]]
| genre = [[Romantic fiction]], [[Biography]], [[Travel]]
| notableworks = ''Kildares of Storm'', ''Basquerie''
| notableworks = ''Kildares of Storm'', ''Basquerie''
| spouse = Robert M. Kelly, Jr. <br />(m. 1901-1926; his death)
| spouse = Robert M. Kelly, Jr.<br />(m. 1901–1926; his death)
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: | signature = Eleanor Mercein Kelly Signature.png -->
}}
}}


'''Eleanor Mercein Kelly''' (August 30, 1880 - October 11, 1968) was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction. She wrote one biographical study, ''The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison'' (1928), but is best known for her romantic fiction, most of which was set in exotic locales. She was widely traveled, and used her travels as inspiration for her novels. <ref name=Mainiero>Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.</ref>
'''Eleanor Mercein Kelly''' (August 30, 1880 - October 11, 1968) was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction. She wrote one biographical study, ''The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison'' (1928), but is best known for her romantic fiction, most of which was set in exotic locales. She was widely traveled, and used her travels as inspiration for her novels.<ref name=Mainiero>Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.</ref> Four of her stories were adapted to film and one on Broadway.


==Life and career==
==Life and career==


===Early years===
===Early years===
Kelly, daughter of Thomas Royce Mercein and Lucy ''Schley'' Mercein, was born into a prominent and wealthy Milwaukee family. <ref name=Mainiero>Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.</ref> Prior to high school, Kelly attended the Seventh Ward school in Milwaukee, where she won first place in sight reading and had the highest general average in the school.<ref name=Article>"Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." The Milwaukee Sentinel 28 Feb. 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.</ref>
Kelly, daughter of Thomas Royce Mercein and Lucy ''Schley'' Mercein, was born into a prominent and wealthy Milwaukee family.<ref name="Mainiero"/> Prior to high school, Kelly attended the Seventh Ward school in Milwaukee, where she won first place in sight reading and had the highest general average in the school.<ref name=Article>"Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." ''The Milwaukee Sentinel'', 28 February 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.</ref>


===Georgetown Visitation Convent (High School Years)===
===Georgetown Visitation Monastery (High School Years)===
For her high school years, Kelly's parents made the decision to send her to the Georgetown Visitation Convent, a Catholic boarding school in Washington D.C. She later showed her approval of this decision, and spoke of her parent's wisdom in sending her to a school which was "steeped in tradition and leisurely atmosphere, where predilection for writing...could have full play for expansion." She later reminisced, "I used to spend long days under a rose bower writing. Often they brought my lunch out to me." In 1898, Kelly graduated from the school with honors, having achieved the rank of valedictorian.<ref name=Article>"Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." The Milwaukee Sentinel 28 Feb. 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.</ref>
For her high school years, Kelly's parents made the decision to send her to the [[Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School]], a Roman Catholic boarding school in Washington D.C. She later showed her approval of this decision, and spoke of her parents' wisdom in sending her to a school which was "steeped in tradition and leisurely atmosphere, where predilection for writing...could have full play for expansion." She was mentored in writing by a nun who was herself a noted writer, [[Mary Paulina Finn]], who published as M. S. Pine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sister Paulina's Rites are Held at Georgetown |url=https://archive.org/details/per_washington-post_1935-03-02_21443/page/n5/mode/2up?q=%22mary+paulina+finn%22 |work=The Washington Post |date=March 2, 1935}}</ref> Kelly later reminisced, "I used to spend long days under a rose bower writing. Often they brought my lunch out to me." In 1898, Kelly was graduated from the school with honors, the valedictorian of her class.<ref name="Article"/>


===Move to Louisville===
===Move to Louisville===
⚫
After her marriage to Robert M. Kelly in 1901, Kelly settled down in Louisville, Kentucky.<ref>Harrison, Lowell Hayes, and James C. Klotter. A New History of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1997. 324. Print.</ref> She later explained, "I dearly love Milwaukee, but I simply cannot write here." The Kentucky environment inspired her, and she furiously began to write. The result was three novels featuring Kentuckian characters and setting, titled ''Kildares of Storm'' (1916), ''Why Joan?'' (1918), and ''The Mansion House'' (1923).<ref name=Article>"Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." The Milwaukee Sentinel 28 Feb. 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.</ref> She had written one novel previously,'' Toya the Unlike'' (1913), but it was not well received by critics.<ref name=Mainiero>Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.</ref> Later, Kentucky's novelty wore off, and she turned to more exotic locales for inspiration and setting.<br><br>Kelly was the director of the Louisville Arts Club and held memberships in the Louisville Woman's Club, Colonial Dames of America, and the National Arts Club of New York. <ref name=encyclopedia>Kleber, John E. "Kelly, Eleanor Mercein." The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1992. 485. Print.</ref>


[[File:Frontispiece_in_1916_novel_Kildares_of_Storm.jpg|thumb|190px|right|[[Book frontispiece|Frontispiece]] in 1916 edition of ''Kildares of Storm''; image by [[Alonzo Myron Kimball (artist)|Alonzo Myron Kimball]]]]
⚫
===Later Life===

⚫
In 1950, after years of penning mainly short stories, Kelly returned to novel writing with the book ''Richard Walden's Wife'', a story partly based on family diaries. The next year, she released ''Proud Castle'', a novel about the Magyars of Hungary.<br>She died on October 11, 1968 in Louisville. She was cremated and buried in a family lot in Milwaukee. <ref name=encyclopedia>Kleber, John E. "Kelly, Eleanor Mercein." The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1992. 485. Print.</ref>
⚫
After her marriage to Robert M. Kelly in 1901, Kelly settled in Louisville, Kentucky.<ref>Harrison, Lowell Hayes, and James C. Klotter. A New History of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1997. 324. Print.</ref> She later explained, "I dearly love Milwaukee, but I simply cannot write here." The Kentucky environment inspired her, and she furiously began to write. The result was three novels featuring Kentuckian characters and setting, titled ''Kildares of Storm'' (1916), ''Why Joan?'' (1918), and ''The Mansion House'' (1923).<ref name="Article"/> She had written one novel previously, ''Toya the Unlike'' (1913), but it was not well received by critics.<ref name="Mainiero"/> Later, Kentucky's novelty wore off, and she turned to more exotic locales for inspiration and setting.

Kelly was the director of the Louisville Arts Club and held memberships in the Louisville Woman's Club, Colonial Dames of America, and the National Arts Club of New York.<ref name=encyclopedia>Kleber, John E. "Kelly, Eleanor Mercein." The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1992. 485. Print.</ref>

⚫
===Later life===
⚫
In 1950, after years of penning mainly short stories, Kelly returned to novel writing with the book ''Richard Walden's Wife'', a story partly based on family diaries. The next year, she released ''Proud Castle'', a novel about the Magyars of Hungary. She died on October 11, 1968, in Louisville. She was cremated and buried in a family lot in Milwaukee.<ref name="encyclopedia"/>


==Writings==
==Writings==
Eleanor Mercein Kelly wrote a total of fifteen books, including fourteen novels and one biographical study, in addition to numerous short stories published in magazines such as the [[Ladies Home Journal]], [[Collier's]], [[The Century Magazine]], [[Munsey's Magazine]], the [[Harper's Monthly]], and the [[Saturday Evening Post]].
Eleanor Mercein Kelly wrote a total of fifteen books, including fourteen novels and one biographical study, in addition to numerous short stories published in magazines such as the ''[[Ladies Home Journal]]'', ''[[Collier's]]'', ''[[The Century Magazine]]'', ''[[Munsey's Magazine]]'', the ''[[Harper's Monthly]]'', and ''[[The Saturday Evening Post]]''.


===List of known works===
===List of known works===

====Fiction====
====Fiction====
* ''Toya the Unlike'' (1913)
* ''Toya the Unlike'' (1913)
Line 62: Line 72:
* "Michaelmas Moon" (1934) (Saturday Evening Post)
* "Michaelmas Moon" (1934) (Saturday Evening Post)
* "Polonaise" (1935) (Saturday Evening Post)
* "Polonaise" (1935) (Saturday Evening Post)
* "Where But in England?" (1938) (Saturday Evening Post)


===Adaptations of works===
===Adaptations of works===

====Film====
====Film====
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 83: Line 95:
! Year !! Title !! Story based on
! Year !! Title !! Story based on
|-
|-
|1929||''Unknown''||''Basquerie'' <ref> "Society Women in Literature." The Milwaukee Journal 1 Nov. 1931, Society sec.: 2. Print.</ref>||
|1929||''Unknown''||''Basquerie'' <ref>"Society Women in Literature." ''The Milwaukee Journal'', 1 November 1931, Society sec.: 2. Print.</ref>||
|}
|}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Gutenberg author | id=34497| name=Eleanor Mercein Kelly}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Eleanor Mercein Kelly}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Eleanor Mercein}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Eleanor Mercein}}
[[Category:1880 births]]
[[Category:1880 births]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Writers from Milwaukee]]
⚫
[[Category:People from Louisville, Kentucky]]
[[Category:American women writers]]
[[Category:American women writers]]
⚫
[[Category:Writers from Louisville, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Writers from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Writers from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Writers from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School alumni]]

Latest revision as of 01:30, 29 December 2023

Eleanor Mercein Kelly
Photograph taken in Louisville, 1933
Photograph taken in Louisville, 1933
BornEleanor Royce Mercein
(1880-08-30)30 August 1880
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Died11 October 1968(1968-10-11) (aged 88)
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
OccupationNovelist, short story writer
GenreRomantic fiction, Biography, Travel
Notable worksKildares of Storm, Basquerie
SpouseRobert M. Kelly, Jr.
(m. 1901–1926; his death)

Eleanor Mercein Kelly (August 30, 1880 - October 11, 1968) was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction. She wrote one biographical study, The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison (1928), but is best known for her romantic fiction, most of which was set in exotic locales. She was widely traveled, and used her travels as inspiration for her novels.[1] Four of her stories were adapted to film and one on Broadway.

Life and career

[edit]

Early years

[edit]

Kelly, daughter of Thomas Royce Mercein and Lucy Schley Mercein, was born into a prominent and wealthy Milwaukee family.[1] Prior to high school, Kelly attended the Seventh Ward school in Milwaukee, where she won first place in sight reading and had the highest general average in the school.[2]

Georgetown Visitation Monastery (High School Years)

[edit]

For her high school years, Kelly's parents made the decision to send her to the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, a Roman Catholic boarding school in Washington D.C. She later showed her approval of this decision, and spoke of her parents' wisdom in sending her to a school which was "steeped in tradition and leisurely atmosphere, where predilection for writing...could have full play for expansion." She was mentored in writing by a nun who was herself a noted writer, Mary Paulina Finn, who published as M. S. Pine.[3] Kelly later reminisced, "I used to spend long days under a rose bower writing. Often they brought my lunch out to me." In 1898, Kelly was graduated from the school with honors, the valedictorian of her class.[2]

Move to Louisville

[edit]
Frontispiece in 1916 edition of Kildares of Storm; image by Alonzo Myron Kimball

After her marriage to Robert M. Kelly in 1901, Kelly settled in Louisville, Kentucky.[4] She later explained, "I dearly love Milwaukee, but I simply cannot write here." The Kentucky environment inspired her, and she furiously began to write. The result was three novels featuring Kentuckian characters and setting, titled Kildares of Storm (1916), Why Joan? (1918), and The Mansion House (1923).[2] She had written one novel previously, Toya the Unlike (1913), but it was not well received by critics.[1] Later, Kentucky's novelty wore off, and she turned to more exotic locales for inspiration and setting.

Kelly was the director of the Louisville Arts Club and held memberships in the Louisville Woman's Club, Colonial Dames of America, and the National Arts Club of New York.[5]

Later life

[edit]

In 1950, after years of penning mainly short stories, Kelly returned to novel writing with the book Richard Walden's Wife, a story partly based on family diaries. The next year, she released Proud Castle, a novel about the Magyars of Hungary. She died on October 11, 1968, in Louisville. She was cremated and buried in a family lot in Milwaukee.[5]

Writings

[edit]

Eleanor Mercein Kelly wrote a total of fifteen books, including fourteen novels and one biographical study, in addition to numerous short stories published in magazines such as the Ladies Home Journal, Collier's, The Century Magazine, Munsey's Magazine, the Harper's Monthly, and The Saturday Evening Post.

List of known works

[edit]

Fiction

[edit]
  • Toya the Unlike (1913)
  • Kildares of Storm (1916)
  • Why Joan? (1918)
  • The Mansion House (1923)
  • Basquerie (1927)
  • The Book of Bette (1929)
  • Arabesque (1930)
  • Spanish Holiday (1930)
  • Nacio, His Affairs (1931)
  • Sea Change (1931)
  • Sounding Harbors (1935)
  • Mixed Company (1936)
  • Richard Walden's Wife (1950)
  • Proud Castle (1951)

Nonfiction

[edit]
  • The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison (1928)

Short stories

[edit]
(This is an incomplete list.)
  • "A Friend of Jimmie's" (1909) (McBride's Magazine) (Lippincott's Monthly Magazine)
  • "The Girl Who Forgot" (1909) (McBride's Magazine) (Lippincott's Monthly Magazine)
  • "Adventures of a Recluse" (1912) (McBride's Magazine) (Lippincott's Monthly Magazine)
  • "The Head of the Family" (1915) (Munsey's Magazine)
  • "Hunger" (1915) (The Century Magazine)
  • "Atmosphere" (1916) (Munsey's Magazine)
  • "La Bella Gina" (1926) (The Harper's Monthly)
  • "Michaelmas Moon" (1934) (Saturday Evening Post)
  • "Polonaise" (1935) (Saturday Evening Post)
  • "Where But in England?" (1938) (Saturday Evening Post)

Adaptations of works

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Titel Story based on Notes
1918 Kildare of Storm Kildares of Storm Silent film produced by Metro Pictures; lost film
1931 Their Mad Moment Basquerie Film produced by Fox Film Corporation
1931 Mi último amor Basquerie Film produced by Fox Film Corporation; Spanish language version of Their Mad Moment
1941 The Perfect Snob Basquerie Film produced by Fox Film Corporation; remake of Their Mad Moment

Broadway

[edit]
Year Titel Story based on
1929 Unknown Basquerie [6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.
  2. ^ a b c "Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." The Milwaukee Sentinel, 28 February 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.
  3. ^ "Sister Paulina's Rites are Held at Georgetown". The Washington Post. March 2, 1935.
  4. ^ Harrison, Lowell Hayes, and James C. Klotter. A New History of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1997. 324. Print.
  5. ^ a b Kleber, John E. "Kelly, Eleanor Mercein." The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington, KY: U of Kentucky, 1992. 485. Print.
  6. ^ "Society Women in Literature." The Milwaukee Journal, 1 November 1931, Society sec.: 2. Print.
[edit]
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