Caroline Augusta Huling

Caroline Augusta Alden Huling (April 2, 1856 – March 10, 1941) was an American journalist, philanthropist, editor, publisher and reformer. Huling published The Bookseller and edited numerous newsletters, among them Social Progress, The Stylus, and The Sentinel. She also wrote two novels, The Courage of Her Convictions and Letters of a Business Woman to Her Niece.

Early life and family Caroline Augusta Alden Huling was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, on April 2, 1856. Her father was Edmund James Huling (1820–1891), editor and publisher in Saratoga Springs. He was public-spirited and liberal, and his daughter was said to owe much to the encouragement of both her parents. Her mother, Anna Rebecca Spooner (1822–1891), was the daughter of Colonel Alden Spooner of Brooklyn, New York. Alden Spooner's ancestors were also editors and publishers. Mrs. Huling's family was also literary minded. Among them were "Fanny Fern" (Sara Willis), Nathaniel Parker Willis, and the brothers Prime (Samuel I. Prime, Edward Dorr Griffin Prime and William Cowper Prime) who were her cousins. Her mother was directly descended from John Alden and Priscilla Alden (ascending line: Alden Spooner, Judah Paddock Spooner, Rebecca Paddock, Alice Alden, David Alden, John Alden), made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Huling was graduated from the village high school. Music, languages and the periodicals of the day were studied after that date.

In 1885 Huling was a founding member of the Illinois Woman's Press Association (IWPA), and for several years she was one of its executive board. In 1890 she represented the association in the National Newspaper Association, and was unanimously elected assistant recording secretary of that body, the first woman elected to office. They were: Maria Smith Huling (1843–1918, married George Oberne (1843–1911)), Alden Spooner Huling (born 1845, married Ida M. Ferris (born )), Mary Jermaine Huling (born 1847, married (1) Eugene Dibble Ainsworth (born ) and (2) A. LeRoy Freeman (born ), Nancy L'Amoreux Huling (born 1850), John Beekman Huling (1852–1917, married Mary Eliza Eberwine (1859–1951)), Henry Pierson Huling (born 1853, married Ellen Newell (born )), Katherine Barclay Huling (born 1858), Edmund James Huling (born 1860), Margaret Olivia Huling (1863–1874).

Legacy The Caroline Alden Huling papers are housed in the Special Collections at the University of Illinois at Chicago.