Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Lamb, Martha Joanna Reade Nash

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1329171Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography — Lamb, Martha Joanna Reade Nash

LAMB, Martha Joanna Reade Nash, historian, b. in Plainfield, Mass., 13 Aug., 1829. She is a daughter of Arvin Nash and Lucinda Vinton, and granddaughter of Jacob Nash and Joanna Reade. She was educated in all the higher English branches and the languages, and married Charles A. Lamb, of Ohio, in 1852. She resided eight years in Chicago, was there a founder of the Home for the friendless and Half-orphan asylum, and secretary of the first sanitary fair in 1863, the success of which was largely due to her. Since 1866 she has resided in New York city, devoting her time to literature. Her distinguishing work is the “History of the City of New York”(2 vols., 8vo, 1877-'81), besides which she has written eight books for children (1869-'70); “Spicy,” a novel (1873); about fifty shorter stories; “The Homes of America” (1879); “Memorial of Dr. J. D. Russ,” “The Christmas Owl” (1881); “The Christmas Basket,” “Snow and Sunshine” (1882); “Wall Street in History,” “Historical Sketch of New York for the Tenth Census” (1883); and more than 100 historical and other papers in magazines. In May, 1883, she became editor of the “Magazine of American History,” which post she still (1887) holds. Mrs. Lamb has been elected to membership in fifteen historical and learned societies in this country and Europe.