Mrs. W. E. Mathews, (Victoria Earle,) General Newspaper Reporter and Novel Writer.
While journalism among the Afro-Americans has been and is honored with many lady writers, none are more popular than Victoria Earle. She was born May 27, 1861, at Fort Valley, Ga. Her mother, Caroline Smith, being a Virginian, was a slave, and subjected to the most cruel treatment by her master. Several times she attempted to escape, and at last succeeded in reaching New York, leaving her children in Georgia, in the care of an old nurse until she returned. For eight years she toiled, hoping to amass enough money to go back to Georgia for her children. When at last enabled to do so, she found only four living, Victoria being among them. After considerable legal trouble, she succeeded in gaining possession of her children, and returned with them to New York, stopping on the way at Richmond and Norfolk.
Victoria had no chance for an education until her arrival in New York, when she attended the grammar school, 48. Later, her circumstances were of such an embarrassing nature, she was forced to leave school and go to work. Though compelled to launch out into the world for her support, she was ever a diligent student. Her newspaper labors began on a larger scale than that of most female writers. She was first a "sub" for reporters upon the large daily papers of New York, such as The Times, Herald, Mail and Express, Sunday Mercury, The Earth, and The Phonographic World. This kind of work being her forte, she continued it, in addition to being New York correspondent to The National Leader, Detroit Plaindealer, and The Southern Christian Recorder. She has also contributed to The A. M. E. Church Review, and has written for various papers at different times. The Afro-American journals are always anxious to get a
