Mary Abigail Dodge

Mary Abigail Dodge, who wrote under the pseudonym "Gail Hamilton"

Mary Abigail Dodge (March 31, 1833 - August 17, 1896) was an American writer and essayist, she wrote under pseudonym Gail Hamilton. Her writing is noted for its wit and promotion of equality of education and occupation for women.

Biography

Mary Abigail Dodge was born March 31, 1833 in Hamilton, Massachusetts. She was born on a farm, the seventh child of Hannah and James Dodge. She was sent to a boarding school, and within a year was sent to the Ipswich Female Seminary. She graduated in 1850, and proceeded to teach there for four years, until she got a position at Hartford High School. She disliked the job, however, and decided to write poetry. Editor Gamaliel Bailey read her work in 1856 and hired her as a governess to his children. From there, she sent in her publications to anti-slavery newspapers. She disliked attention, however, and chose the pen name Gail Hamilton, combining the last part of her middle name with her place of birth. Her essays were best known for their harshness towards men. While working on a biography of James Blaine, she had a stroke, leaving her in a coma that lasted for several weeks. She then returned to Hamilton, before dying of a cerebral hemorrhage on August 17, 1896.

External links

• Works by Gail Hamilton at Project Gutenberg
• Works by Mary Abigail Dodge at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• Essays by Gail Hamilton at Quotidiana.org