Born: 31 August 1844, United States
Died: 28 January 1911
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Mary Gray Phelps
From Famous Women: An Outline of Feminine Achievement Through the Ages With Life Stories of Five Hundred Noted Women. Written by Joseph Adelman, published 1926 by Ellis M Lonow Company:
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, an American philanthropist and author, born in Andover, Mass. She was known for her temperance reform, and in behalf of the advancement of women.
Her many books are often of a religious trend – her first work to attract attention was The Gates Ajar (1868), which had a very wide reading and was instrumental in substituting reasonable healthy views concerning a future existence in place of the vague and conventional ideas on the subject prevalent.
Mrs. Ward was a voluminous writer, and also was the author of several volumes in collaboration with her husband, the Rev. Herbert D. Ward.
From Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.:
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Author of Gates Ajar, 1844 – 1911 A.D.
She was first of all fortunate in her parentage. Her father was Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in Andover Theological Seminary. Many who never knew him otherwise, have been helped by his little book, The Still Hour. Her mother was also an author of note.
Elizabeth was given another name at birth, but upon the death of Mrs. Phelps, the daughter took her mother’s name in full and by her writings has perpetuated the work and name of her noble mother.
When the child was four years of age, the family moved from Boston to Andover. Here she grew up in the midst of strong intellectual and spiritual influences. She received a thorough and liberal education which admirably fitted her for the life of an author.
But hers was not a cold and formal intellectuality. Her imagination was vivid and her heart warm. She kept in close touch with the great movements of the time and engaged in them. Her activity in lines of charity, temperance, and reform kept her heart warmly in sympathy with struggling humanity. The life of factory girls attracted her attention. She studied the conditions at first hand and sought to be of help in improving their lot. Her book A Silent Partner was written as a result of her observation and efforts.
After slavery was abolished she saw that the next great national and world-wide movement was to be for the betterment of woman’s condition. She believed in a larger, sweeter, purer womanhood and so wrote with a purpose.
Of her many books we mention a few: Up Hill, Avis, Gates Ajar (this book passed through twenty editions in one year), Hedged in, The Trotty Book, Old Maid’s Paradise, Beyond the Gates, Jack the Fisherman, Songs of the Silent World, A Singular Life.
Possessing thus a happy and well-balanced combination of thinking and working, her productions have had a healthy tone.
In 1888 Miss Phelps became the wife of Rev. Herbert D. Ward.