Louise McNeill
Encyclopedia
Louise McNeill was an American
poet
, essayist, and historian
of Appalachia
.
McNeill was born January 9, 1911 in Buckeye
, West Virginia
, USA
on a farm that her family had owned since 1769. Her father, G. D. McNeil was a writer who published a collections of short stories about the forests of Pocahontas County, West Virginia
. She wrote her first poem at 16, pecking it out on a friend's typewriter. The experience caused her to vow "to be a poet and write poems forever."
She graduated from Concord College (now Concord University) and then got her master's from Miami University
in Ohio
. She earned her doctorate
from West Virginia University
. She also studied at Middlebury College
with the poet Robert Frost
, and at the Iowa Writers' Workshop
.
In 1939 she married Roger Pease. She taught English and history for over 30 years, including positions in rural one-room schools in West Virginia
, at Potomac State College, Fairmont State College, and West Virginia University
.
Louis McNeill begin her publishing career selling short poems to the Saturday Evening Post. In 1931 her first collection, Mountain White, was published. She went on to publish six other collections. In the 1980s McNeill's literary reputation was re-established by the poet Maggie Anderson
, who edited McNeill's memoir for the University of Pittsburgh Press
, as well as a new and selected poems in 1991.
In 1979 then-governor Jay Rockefeller
named her West Virginia's poet laureate
.
McNeill died on June 18, 1993.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, essayist, and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
of Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
.
McNeill was born January 9, 1911 in Buckeye
Buckeye, West Virginia
Buckeye is an unincorporated community in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. Buckeye is located along U.S. Route 219 southwest of Marlinton. Buckeye has a post office with ZIP code 24924....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on a farm that her family had owned since 1769. Her father, G. D. McNeil was a writer who published a collections of short stories about the forests of Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
. She wrote her first poem at 16, pecking it out on a friend's typewriter. The experience caused her to vow "to be a poet and write poems forever."
She graduated from Concord College (now Concord University) and then got her master's from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. She earned her doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. She also studied at Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
with the poet Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
, and at the Iowa Writers' Workshop
Iowa Writers' Workshop
The Program in Creative Writing, more commonly known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, is a highly regarded graduate-level creative writing program in the United States...
.
In 1939 she married Roger Pease. She taught English and history for over 30 years, including positions in rural one-room schools in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, at Potomac State College, Fairmont State College, and West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
.
Louis McNeill begin her publishing career selling short poems to the Saturday Evening Post. In 1931 her first collection, Mountain White, was published. She went on to publish six other collections. In the 1980s McNeill's literary reputation was re-established by the poet Maggie Anderson
Maggie Anderson
Maggie Anderson is an American poet and editor with roots in Appalachia.-Life and career:Anderson attended West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1966–68 and earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with high honors, from West Virginia University in 1970. Her M.A. in English in 1973 and an M.S.W. in...
, who edited McNeill's memoir for the University of Pittsburgh Press
University of Pittsburgh Press
The University of Pittsburgh Press is a scholarly publishing house and a major American university press, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The university and the press are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
, as well as a new and selected poems in 1991.
In 1979 then-governor Jay Rockefeller
Jay Rockefeller
John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...
named her West Virginia's poet laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
.
McNeill died on June 18, 1993.
Works
- Mountain White (1931)
- Gauley Mountain (1939)
- Time Is Our House (1942)
- Paradox Hill (1972)
- Elderberry Flood (1979)
- The Milkweed Ladies (1988)
- Hill Daughter: New and Selected Poems (1991)
- Fermi Buffalo (1994)