Eunice Gibbs Allyn

Eunice Gibbs Allyn (, Gibbs; pen names, (multiple); 1847 – June 30, 1916) was an American correspondent, author, songwriter, illustrator, and painter. She intended to become a teacher, but her mother dissuaded her so she remained at home, entering into society, and writing in a quiet way for the local papers while using various pen names in order to avoid displeasing one of her brothers, who did not wish to have a "bluestocking" in the family.

Allyn served as the Washington correspondent for the Chicago Inter Ocean, as well as a writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and the New York World. She won distinction as an artist and lecturer. For eight years, Allyn served as president of the Dubuque, Iowa branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

Early life and education Eunice Eloisae Gibbs was born in 1847, in Brecksville, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Her father, Dr. Sidney Smith Gibbs, hailed from Schoharie County, New York, and her mother, Eunice Lucinda Newberry, was from St. Lawrence County, New York. Dr. Gibbs was practicing medicine in Brecksville when he married Miss Newberry, who was a successful teacher. He was a relative of the Anglican cleric, wit, and writer, Sydney Smith. Allyn was a niece of Mary Newbury Adams. Allyn's mother was a cousin of Harriet Bishop. and Watson's Jeffersonian Magazine. The book is illustrated with drawings of many cats of various styles, some beautiful and others ugly, all created by Allyn. The Cats' Convention is included in the Iowa Collection, Historical Department of the State Historical Society of Iowa. 388

Allyn won distinction as an artist. Several of her landscape paintings were hung at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. In 1910, one of her paintings was hung with the permanent collection in the Art Room of Dubuque's Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

Personal life In Dubuque, Allyn inaugurated many reforms and educational movements, doing the work, not for notoriety, but prompted by her desire to do something towards lifting up humanity. Allyn was a prominent member of the Dubuque Ladies' Literary Union, and for eight years, she served as president of the Dubuque branch of the WCTU.

When she was a child, Allyn received a daguerreotype of Hole in the Day from her mother's cousin, Harriet Bishop. In 1903, Allyn presented the daguerreotype to the Minnesota Historical Society.

In religion, Allyn affiliated with the Episcopal Church but was also an admirer of Oriental philosophy.

Death and legacy Eunice Gibbs Allyn died at her home in Dubuque on June 30, 1916, following a lengthy illness. Allyn and her husband are buried at the city's Linwood Cemetery. An effort began two years before her death to collect her literary works for preservation in the Iowa State Historical Society archives.

Selected works Songs "Her one star" (words and music) "Vesper bells" (words and music) "The King of all painters", 1898 (words and music) "The Thanksgiving hymn of the Republic", 1898 (words and music)

Articles "The Evolution of the Greek Flat", Records of the Past, 1907 (text)

Short stories "My Spirit Wife", Every Where, 1909 (text)

Novels One thousand smiles, 1898 The Cats' Convention, 1909