Brief biographies of the figurines on display in ... - University Library

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MRS. JAMES S. CATHERWOOD
(Mary Hartwell)
Mrs. Mary Hartwell Catkerwood was born in Luray,
Ohio, December 16, 1844. In 1856 she went with her
parents to Milford, Illinois. Her fa<strong>the</strong>r died, and when
ten years old, Mary was given a home by her grandfa<strong>the</strong>r
Thompson at New Hebron, Ohio. She attended <strong>the</strong> school
<strong>the</strong>re, bnt at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> fourteen, she was teaching to obtain
proper clothing, and to prepare <strong>the</strong> way for entrance
into <strong>the</strong> Female College at Granville, Ohio, where she
completed a four years' course in three years, graduating
in 1868. She was in debt eight hundred dollars on
graduation, but her uncle, Cyrus Hartwell, agreed that
if she would pay this debt in four years by her own efforts,
he would make her a present <strong>of</strong> five hundred dollars.
She did it, and received <strong>the</strong> gift.
While still a little girl she contributed poems to <strong>the</strong>
local papers <strong>of</strong> New Hebron. Some elderly friend remarked
that while <strong>the</strong> poems were beautiful, her field
lay in prose. Mary believed this, and determined to
achieve her aim if unceasing effort would help. She wrote
a short serial for Frank Leslie, "The Mill-Scott Million,"
and received her first check.
In 1887 she was married to James S.
Ca<strong>the</strong>rwood,
with whom she resided at Hoopeston, Illinois.
During her last few years she showed an inclination
for subjects connected with Illinois history, and published
popular romances under <strong>the</strong> titles <strong>of</strong> "The Story
<strong>of</strong> Tonty," "Old Kaskaskia," and o<strong>the</strong>rs.
Mary Hartwell Ca<strong>the</strong>rwood died on December 26,
1902.