Willa Cather (Willa Cather)

Willa Cather

Author. Born in Virginia, she moved with her family to Webster County, Nebraska at the age of nine. There she lived among the immigrant families that became the inspiration for the frontier settlers in her writings. She graduated from Red Cloud High School in 1890, and then enrolled in the University of Nebraska. While attending the university, she worked as a drama critic for The Lincoln Journal. She received her degree in 1895, and at that time moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and worked for Home Monthly and The Daily Leader and later taught English and Latin in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Her first book was a poetry collection, “April Twilights” (1903), followed by a short story collection, “The Troll Garden” (1905). She then moved to New York to work for McClure’s magazine from 1906 to 1912, where she became managing editor. Encouraged by colleagues, she turned to writing full time. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1923 for her book “One of Ours”. Other works include, “Alexander’s Bridge” (1912), “O Pioneers!” (1913), “My Antonia” (1918), “A Lost Lady” (1923), “The Professor’s House” (1925), “My Mortal Enemy” (1926), “Death Comes for the Archbishop” (1927), “Shadows on the Rock” (1931), “Lucy Gayheart” (1935), and “Sapphira and the Slave Girl” (1940). Other literary awards she earned include the Howell’s Medal from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1930, and the Gold Medal of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1944. She is known for her narratives of the pioneer American West, her writings a celebration of the strength and courage of the frontier settlers. (bio by: Anonymous)  Family links:  Parents:  Charles Fectique Cather (1848 – 1928)  Mary Virginia Boak Cather (1850 – 1931)  Spouse:  Edith Lewis (1882 – 1972)*  Siblings:  Willa Cather (1873 – 1947)  Roscoe Clark Cather (1877 – 1945)*  James D Cather (1886 – 1966)*  Elsie Margaret Cather (1890 – 1964)* *Calculated relationship

Born

  • December, 07, 1873
  • USA

Died

  • April, 04, 1947
  • USA

Cemetery

  • Old Burying Ground
  • USA

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