Frances Wilson Huard (October 2, 1885 – February 1969) was an American-born writer, translator, and lecturer who wrote memoirs of life during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in France.

Early life

Frances Barrie Wilson was the daughter of comic actor Francis Wilson and his first wife, actress Mira Barrie.

Career

Huard is best known for her memoirs, ''My Home in the Field of Honour'' (1916), and ''My Home in the Field of Mercy'' (1917), both about living in France during World War I. Her husband Charles Huard, a French artist, provided illustrations for her books. She described turning their summer estate at Villiers, near

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital ...

, into a hospital, riding a bicycle after her horses were requisitioned, and managing a household under wartime conditions. In one incident, rather than waking the young men assigned for late night guard duty, she (and her dogs) went in their stead:

Poor little chaps, it seemed a pity to wake them, but what was to be done? Presently an idea of replacing them myself dawned upon me: a second later it so enchanted me that I wouldn't have had them wake for anything. The whole thing was beginning to be terribly romantic. Slipping quietly away, I went to my room and got my revolver, and then going to the south front of the château, I softly whistled for my dogs... With these five as bodyguard I sauntered up the road in the brilliant moonlight, arriving in front of the town hall just as the clock was striking eleven.

Her home was damaged by bombs and occupied by German troops. Later in the war, she ran a hospital in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. During and after the war, she toured the United States and Canada as a lecturer and sold her husband's etchings to raise funds for post-war relief. Other works by Huard were ''With Those Who Wait'' (1918), ''Lilies, White and Red'' (1919, a book of short fiction), ''American Footprints in Paris'' (1921, co-authored with François Boucher), and a biography of her husband, ''Charles Huard, 1874–1965'' (1969). She also translated

Maurice Barrès Auguste-Maurice Barrès (; 19 August 1862 – 4 December 1923) was a French novelist, journalist, philosopher, and politician. Spending some time in Italy, he became a figure in French literature with the release of his work ''The Cult of the S ...

' novel '' Colette Baudoche'' (1918), Marcel Nadaud's ''The Flying Poilu: A Story of Aerial Warfare'' (1918),

Alfred de Vigny Alfred Victor, Comte de Vigny (; 27 March 1797 – 17 September 1863) was a French poet and early French Romanticism, Romanticist. He also produced novels, plays, and translations of Shakespeare. Biography Vigny was born in Loches (a town to wh ...

's ''Military Servitude and Grandeur'' (1919), and

Paul Arène Paul-Auguste Arène (26 June 1843 – 17 December 1896) was a Provençal poet and French writer. Biography Arène was born in Sisteron, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the son of Adolphe, a clockmaker, and Reine, a cap presser. He studied in Marseille ...

's ''The Golden Goat'' (1921) into English. She wrote essays from France for American publications, including '' The Century'', '' The Bookman'', and ''

Scribner's Magazine ''Scribner's Magazine'' was an American periodical published by the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons from January 1887 to May 1939. ''Scribner's Magazine'' was the second magazine out of the Scribner's firm, after the publication of ...

''. Her American family feared for her safety in France again during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Personal life

Frances Wilson married artist Charles Adolphe Huard in 1905. She was widowed when he died in 1965, at their home in

Poncey-sur-l'Ignon Poncey-sur-l'Ignon () is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Côte-d'Or department The following is a list of the 698 communes of the Côte-d'Or department of France. The co ...

. She died in 1969, aged 84 years.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Huard, Frances Wilson 1885 births 1969 deaths American women in World War I 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American memoirists American women memoirists American expatriates in France