Edna Dean Proctor

Edna Dean Proctor was born in Henniker NH in 1827, on Proctor’s Hill overlooking the Contoocook River. She was educated in early years at home by her mother, later at Mt. Holyoke Seminary and at Concord NH. Her life’s professions included a teacher in Woodstock CT, a governess in Brooklyn NY, a poet, and a teacher in Framingham MA. Beginning in the 1850s she contributed frequent articles and poems to various national papers and periodicals.

In 1858 she published a volume entitled, “Life Thoughts,” containing excerpts from the sermons of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, which was widely circulated in the United States and England. Inspired by events leading up to the Civil War, she became well known for her patriotic poetry supporting the Union cause. The first volume of her collected poems was published in 1866.

Photograph of Edna Dean Proctor taken on her 94th anniversary; from The Granite Monthly. Photograph of Edna Dean Proctor taken on her 94th anniversary; from The Granite Monthly.

In 1867 she published a volume of “Poems, National and Miscellaneous.” Shortly afterward she accompanied a party of friends on an extensive foreign tour, visiting Egypt and the Holy Land, traversing every country in Europe except Portugal. In Russia she traveled by routes not usually taken, by tourists; of this portion of her tour she gave a poetical account in her “Russian Journey” (1873). In 1888 she compiled “A Genealogy of the Storrs Family.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow showed his appreciation of her poetry by including many of her productions in his “Poems of Places.” She was friends with John Greenleaf Whittier, and told him, “I have always been impressed by the mingled volcano and iceberg of your character.”

In 1893 she wrote the poem, “Columbia’s Banner,” which was the official program of Columbus Day programs throughout the United States. In 1899 Old Home Week was first observed in New Hampshire and she penned the official poem for the event. She wrote countless poems, including several about New Hampshire locations that will be posted in future blog articles. A sampling of some of her poetry can be found at the links below.

Edna Dean Proctor Bridge View northeast, west elevation, showing underside of arches – Edna Dean Proctor Bridge, Spanning Contoacook River at State Route 114, Henniker, Merrimack County, NH; Reproduction Number: HAER NH,7-HEN,3–5; Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Edna never married. She died in December 1923 at the age of 95. While living in S. Framingham she had belonged to the Boston Authors’ Club and was considered a part of literary Boston. She was described as “a charming woman of great beauty and a winning friendliness of manner.”

In her will she established the John Proctor and Family Trust Fund which in addition to funding the construction of a fountain in Proctor Square in Henniker NH, provided for the repair or replacement of the stone arch bridge that cross the Contoocook River. When this bridge was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938, this fund provided for its being rebuilt. The township residents decided then to rename the bridge after Edna.