Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909), an American fiction writer contemporary with Mark Twain, grew up in South Berwick, Maine, where she lived much of her life. After establishing herself as a short story writer for adults and young people, she formed a close friendship with Annie Fields, wife of the publisher James T. Fields. After Mr. Fields' death in 1881, Jewett and Annie Fields lived and traveled together for the rest of Jewett's life. With Mrs. Fields, Jewett formed friendships with a number of the major artists and intellectuals of her time, including Madame Thérèse Blanc, Willa Cather, Mary Ellen Chase, William Dean Howells, Henry James, Alice G. Howe, Rudyard Kipling, Rose Lamb, Alice Meynell, Harriet P. Spofford, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Celia Thaxter, Mrs. Humphrey Ward, Sarah Wyman Whitman, and John Greenleaf Whittier. Jewett's best known works are "A White Heron," a short story, and The Country of the Pointed Firs, a novella.     Jewett's fiction is characterized by intimate views of characters' lives, the growth and trials of friendship, and a good deal of humor, both broad and subtle.

1860 Paternal grandfather, Theodore F. Jewett, dies.

1865 Graduated from Berwick Academy, completing formal education.

1868 First story published: "Jenny Garrow's Lovers."

1869 First publication in Atlantic Monthly: "Mr. Bruce."

1877 First book, Deephaven, a collection of related sketches.

1878 September 20. Dr. Jewett, father, dies.

1880 Begins important lifelong friendship with Boston literary figure, Annie Fields (1834-1915). After her husband, James T. Fields, dies in 1881, Fields and Jewett live together during parts of each year and travel widely in Europe and America. Together they meet and visit with a number of prominent contemporary writers including: Alfred Tennyson, Christina Rossetti, Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Henry James, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, John Greenleaf Whittier, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Marie Thérèse Blanc.

1882 First trip to Europe.

1884 A Country Doctor, first novel published. Dr. Leslie, the title character, is based on her father.

1891 October 21. Caroline Perry Jewett, mother, dies after a long illness.

1892 Second trip to Europe.

1896 Cruises among Caribbean islands; publishes The Country of the Pointed Firs, generally considered her best single work.

1897 Younger sister, Caroline Jewett Eastman dies.

1898 Third trip to Europe.

1900 Fourth trip to Europe.

1901 The first woman to receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Bowdoin College.

1902 Injured in a carriage accident on her birthday, she is incapacitated for the rest of her life. Though she continues writing letters and visiting, she cannot sustain the necessary attention for writing fiction.

1904 "A Spring Sunday," last story published in her lifetime.

1908 Meets and corresponds with Willa Cather.

1909 June 24. Dies at her home in South Berwick.
 

Scholars, students, and other interested people are invited to participate in adding to and improving this web site.  Below are listed some tasks that would help the site.  Perhaps you may think of others.  Feel free to make suggestions or to take on one of these tasks.  Before doing a lot of work, contact the site manager to learn whether anyone else is working on the task you propose.
     Contact: theller at coe period edu.
 

- Most of Jewett's stories appeared in magazines before they were collected.  Only a few of the original magazine texts are here.  More are welcome.

- Most of Jewett's unpublished materials are not yet here.  Adding more would be good.

- Several texts are not yet annotated.  If you would like to annotate a text or part of a text, check with the site manager to see what is available to be done.

- The Sarah Orne Jewett Journal.  At present, this offers a place to reprint criticism and scholarship on Jewett.  If your essay appeared in a magazine, journal, or book, we may be able to reprint it.
    Also, there is a section here for undergraduate essays submitted by faculty.

- Biography.  Essays and articles on Jewett and her family may be added to the site.

- Annie Fields.  Attached to this site is a smaller site for Annie Fields.  Many texts can be added there, as well as annotations and other materials.

Copyright © 1997-2008 by Terry Heller.
Updated:  February 2008
Page Design   2002   by Gabe Heller