Jane Frances Winn

Jane Frances Winn (1855 – 1927), who wrote as Frank Fair, was an American journalist. She was called the "dean of newspaper women" in St. Louis. By 1903, she was recognized as a journalist to whom "even men" paid their homage: The Journalist, a New York City weekly periodical about newspaper people and their work, profiled Winn in its series of prominent writers.

Early life Winn was born in 1855 in Chillicothe, Ohio, the daughter of Thomas Winn (1825–1880) and Anna M. Winn (1835–1901). She was of Irish parentage on her father's side, and on her mother's she was of English extraction.

The column "Matters of Interest to Women Readers", was finished off with a paragraph, "By Way of Comment", often a poem. For many years, friends asked Winn to collect them in a book but she never agreed. was formed in 1894. As early as 1903, she was recognized as a journalist to whom even men paid their homage: The Journalist, a New York City weekly periodical devoted to the interests of newspaper people and their work, profiled Winn in its series of prominent writers: "Among the feminist contingent of the Globe-Democrat's staff, a lady whose work is attracting particular attention, is Miss Jane Frances Winn, who writes of women's clubs, golf, whist, botany and kindred subjects. Under the pen name of "Frank Fair" her brilliant articles are widely read, as well as are her clever contributions each week in the magazine section."

She was a member of the English-Speaking Union, the National Arts Club, the National Science Club and the Contemporary Club.

In 1905, she wrote "Elsinore, or the Land of the Silver Lining", which was represented by child actors at the Century Theater in St. Louis under the direction of Jacob Mahler. The performance was for the benefit of the Memorial Home, Grand and Magnolia Avenue. In 1909 Winn wrote "Papilla or the Culprit Fairy", which was represented at the Odeo on May under the direction of Jacob Mahler. The proceeds were to go to the Baptist Orphans' Home.

In 1915, Winn, together with Anna G. Marten, addressed the Missouri Women's Press Association during Journalism Week in Columbia, Missouri. Winn's panel was "The New Journalism in Its Relation to Women". In 1920, she addressed the Missouri Press Association in Rolla, Missouri, with the talk "Journalism for Women". In 1922, during the 25th annual dinner and business meeting of the Ohio Society of St. Louis, Winn was elected as a director. In 1926, she spoke in front of the Society of St. Louis Authors on "The Woman on the Job".

In 1921, Winn, speaking on free verse as a "protest against old-fashioned rhymes", called Walt Whitman the "father of the new movement" and Sara Teasdale the "Shelley of America".

Personal life Jane Frances Winn lived with her brother, Frank T. Winn (1865–1918), who was also engaged in newspaper work, near Forest Park University.