Woman of the Century/Abba Louise Goold Woolson

WOOLSON, Mrs. Abba Louise Goold, author, born in Windham., Me., 30th April, 1838. She is the daughter of William Goold, the well-known author of "Portland in the Past" (1866), and of several papers in the "Collections" of the Maine Historical Society, of which he was for many years corresponding secretary. Miss Goold was reared and educated in Portland. Me., where she was graduated in the high school for girls in 1856. In that year she became the wife of Prof. Moses Woolson, the principal of that school. They lived in Portland until 1862, and there Mrs. Woolson began to publish poems. Her first sonnet was published in 1856 in the New York "Home Journal." and she contributed to that journal occasionally. In 1859 she began the publication of an anonymous series of poems in the Portland "Transcript." which attracted much attention. She contributed for four years to that journal and to the Boston "Transcript." She served for a short time as professor of belles-lettres in the Mt Auburn girls' school, and afterwards went with her husband to Concord. In 1868 they removed to Boston, where her husband was professor in a high school, and where she now lives. She contributed a notable essay, entitled "The Present Aspect of the Byron Case," to the Boston "Journal," which drew general attention to her. She soon afterward began to publish her work in volumes. She has given courses of lectures on "English Literature in Connection with English History," "The Influence of Foreign Nations Upon English Literature" and "The Historic Cities of Spain." She is a member of several literary and benevolent societies, and has served as president of the Castilian Club, of Boston. In 1871 she went to Utah, and there interviewed Brigham Young for the Boston "Journal." Her other published works include "Women in American Society" (1872), "Browsing Among Books" (1881) and "George Eliot and Her Heroines" (1886). She edited "Dress Reform," a series of lectures by women physicians of Boston on "Dress as It Effects the Health of Women" (1874). She aids liberally the charities of her city.