Ellen Duvall (1854-1944)
Ellen Duvall was born in 1854 in Delaware, but lived much of her life in Baltimore. She was a valued member of the Club from 1894 to 1915, serving as chair for several committees including the Committee on Current Criticism (1899) and the Committee on Fiction (1907). Duvall was an outspoken member and presented frequently. She was fond of Shakespeare and both read and wrote a lot about him as well as other canonical figures including John Milton. She also presented work in support of white supremacy at club meetings, notably, a positive review of the book What Constitutes the Superiority of the Anglo Saxon Race during the 1899-1900 season. Her short stories and essays were published in respected magazines including Harper’s Monthly, the Atlantic Monthly, and Smart Set. The Baltimore Sun praised her “entertaining fiction” and “rich literary style.” She lived alone for most of her long life, renting rooms as a “single boarder.” She died in 1944.
Sources
“Baltimore is the Home of Many Conspicuous Woman Writers.” Baltimore Sun, Feb. 14, 1909.
Woman’s Literary Club of Baltimore meeting minutes, October 7, 1899.
“Obituary.” Baltimore Sun, Feb. 9, 1944, 4.
Contributors
Katie Kazmierski; Miranda Nolan