Laura Eugenia Newhall (née Terry; pen name Ada L. Halstead; 1861–1901) was an American writer.[1][2][3][a]

Early life

Laura Eugenia Terry[1] was born in California,[5] in 1861.[6]

Career

While living in Southern California, Newhall devoted herself to writing fiction.[7] Her productions were characterized as being on the order of the works of Augusta Evans. Newhall wrote a number of novels including: Adopted, Hazel Verne (which also went through a dramatization),[8] The Bride of Infelice (set in Massachusetts),[9] and Amber, among others.[2][7] After the Night Has Passed (set in the Yucatan),[10] Hazel Verne, or The Death Trust, and The Bride of Infelice were the best known of her works.[1]

Personal life

On July 31, 1884, in San Francisco, she married Joshua Otis Newhall (native of Saugus, Massachusetts), who was a merchant and hotel-keeper of Newhall, Los Angeles County, California. In 1890, Joshua Newhall turned over all his property to the Newhall Land and Farming Company, established by his uncle, Henry Newhall,[11] in satisfaction of his debts.[1] In the same year, Laura Newhall returned to San Francisco.[12] In 1891, Joshua Newhall was associated with the Palace Hotel in Napa, California,[13] and several of her poems of that time were signed from that city. In 1898, she was granted a divorce, the grounds being desertion.[1]

Laura Eugenia Newhall died in San Francisco, March 27, 1901. She was survived by her mother, Mrs. Terry, who lived in Healdsburg, California.[1]

Selected works

After the Night has Passed
The Bride of Infelice
Hazel Verne, or the Death Trust

Articles

  • "The Playing-Cards of All Nations", The San Francisco Call and Post, May 2, 1897 (text)

Novels

  • Adopted, Or, The Serpent Bracelet: A Novel, 1886 (text)
  • After the Night has Passed, 1896 (text)
  • Amber
  • Hazel Verne, or the Death Trust, 1889 ("The Pastime Series") (text)
  • The Bride of Infelice, 1892 (text/text)

Poetry

  • "An April Sonnet", Los Angeles Evening Express, April 23, 1890 (text)
  • "Death of Summer", The Woman's Tribune, November 21, 1891 (text)
  • "In My Hammock", The Woman's Tribune, August 22, 1891 (text)
  • "L'Envoi", Los Angeles Evening Express, January 2, 1890 (text)
  • "The Farm at Sunset", Pacific Rural Press, March 12, 1892 (text)
  • "The New Athens", The Morning Call, April 26, 1891 (text)
  • "Tryst of Angels", The San Francisco Call and Post, January 1, 1891 (text)

Short stories

  • "A Stanza in Violets", The San Francisco Call and Post, November 26, 1899 (text)
  • "Hops to Weigh", Family Friend (Auckland, New Zealand), 1890[14]

Notes

  1. ^ Mighels (1893) and Dunne (1985) refer to Halstead's real name as Mrs. J. M. Newman.[2][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Ada L. Halstead, the author, dies suddenly". The San Francisco Call and Post. 28 March 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b c Mighels, Ella Sterling (1893). "California Writers and Literature". The story of the files; a review of Californian writers and literature. San Francisco: Cooperative Printing Co. pp. 299–300. Retrieved 5 February 2025 – via Internet Archive. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ California State Library (1912). News Notes of California Libraries. California State Library. p. 147. Retrieved 8 February 2025. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ Dunn, Nancy Carol (1985). Western Urban Women of the Progressive Era: Pacific Coast Women's Press Association 1890–1920. U. of Calif., Davis. p. 107. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Ada L. Halstead". The Morning Press. Santa Barbara, California. 7 May 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Hinkel, Edgar Joseph; McCann, William E. (1940). Criticism of California Literature. Vol. 2. p. 656.
  7. ^ a b "Death of Mrs. Newhall". The Los Angeles Times. 28 March 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ Wells, Emmeline Blanch Woodward (1893). "Notes and News". Woman's Exponent. Salt Lake City, UT: Woman's Exponent: 103. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Internet Archive. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ^ Holder, Charles Frederick (1892). The Californian. Vol. 2. Californian Publishing Company. p. 853. Retrieved 8 February 2025. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ^ "Ready in April". The Publishers Weekly. 49. F. Leypoldt: 20. 1896. Retrieved 8 February 2025. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. ^ Perkins, Maggi (2010). Newhall. Arcadia Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-7385-8025-8. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Ada L. Halstead". The San Francisco Call and Post. 14 December 1890. p. 9. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. ^ "Hazel Verne". The Napa Register. 27 March 1891. p. 1. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. ^ "Public Notices". Auckland Star. 20 February 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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