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Woman of the Century/Luella Dowd Smith

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2293571Woman of the Century — Luella Dowd Smith

SMITH, Mrs. Luella Dowd, poet and author, born in Sheffield, Mass., 16th June, 1847. Her parents were Almeron and Emily Curtiss Dowd. LUELLA DOWD SMITH. In her second year the family removed to West Virginia, where they remained nine years. Her parents were teachers, and she was educated by them at home and in the schools which they conducted. They returned to Massachusetts, when Luella was eleven years old, and she continued her studies in the academy in South Egremont, in the high and normal schools in Westfield. and Charles F. Dowd's seminary in Saratoga Springs, N. Y. She was graduated in the last named institution and became a successful teacher for several years. With her school work she carried on Sunday-school and temperance work. In 1875 she became the wife of Henry Hadley Smith, M. D. They lived in Sheffield, Mass., until 1884, when they went to Europe. After a long trip abroad they returned to the United States and settled in Hudson, N. Y., where Dr. Smith practices medicine, and where they still live Mrs. Smith's literary work dates from her youth. She has written much, in both prose and verse, and she has contributed to many magazines and periodicals. In 1879 she collected some of her productions and published them in a volume entitled "Wayside Leaves" (New York). In 1887 she brought out a second volume, "Wind Flowers" (Chicago). Her work includes a series of temperance st< tries for children, and is impressive because of its artistic excellence and its high moral stamp.