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Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald

1864 – 1922

Canadian poet, children's writer, suffragist

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About Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald

Lived 1864 – 1922 (aged 58). Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald was a Canadian writer and poet.

Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald (, Roberts; 17 February 1864 – 8 November 1922) was a Canadian writer of poetry, children's literature, essays, and short stories. She regularly contributed articles to a number of Canadian and U.S. dailies. and Canon of the Cathedral there. He was a cultivated, scholarly gentleman of old English descent. Her mother was Emma Wetmore (Bliss) Roberts. Her siblings were Charles G. D. Roberts, William Carman Roberts, and Theodore Goodridge Roberts ("Thede") – a family remarkable for the variety and richness of their contribution to the literature of Canada.

On winter evenings, the favourite gathering place was about the great centre table in the sitting room, where the young people read aloud for each other's amusement or edification the rhymes or stories which the day had called forth. Spirited discussions frequently arose, but the utmost good humour prevailed and final decisions on most questions were sought and accepted from the parents. The informal gathering gave a training which no school or carefully planned course of study could have achieved. In summer weather the garden was the favourite meeting place, along with their cousin, Bliss Carman. It is of this scented garden that MacDonald wrote about in her book, Dream Verses and Others.

For many years, she was a frequent contributor to magazines. Another poetry book of hers, Dream Verses and Others, was published in 1906. In 1915, after marital separation, she moved to Ottawa, Ontario, with her sons, Archibald G. MacDonald and Cuthbert Goodridge MacDonald (a daughter, Hilary MacDonald, survived last than a year).

Like his mother, Cuthbert, went on to become a writer.

Selected works An unnamed collection of poems in booklet format was published by MacDonald's father, 1888 Northland Lyrics, 1899 (with William Carman Roberts and Theodore Goodridge Roberts) Our Little Canadian Cousin, 1904 Dream Verses and Others, 1906

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Fredericton High School, University of New Brunswick
Also known as
Jane Elizabeth Gostwycke MacDonald, Jane Roberts, "Nain" Roberts, J. Elizabeth Gostwycke MacDonald

People in Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald?

Canadian poet, children's writer, suffragist (1864-1922)

When was Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald born?

Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald was born on 17 February 1864 in Westcock.

When did Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald die?

Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald died on 8 November 1922 in Ontario, Ottawa.

What was Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald's occupation?

Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald was a writer and poet.

What nationality was Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald?

Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald

· Wikidata: Q83190683

· DBpedia: Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald. https://biography.guide/elizabeth-roberts-macdonald/

MLA: "Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/elizabeth-roberts-macdonald/.

Chicago: "Elizabeth Roberts MacDonald." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/elizabeth-roberts-macdonald/.

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