Aline Kilmer on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Aline Murray Kilmer (August 1, 1888 – October 1, 1941), was an American
Rutgers College Preparatory School
and married shortly after his graduation from
archive.org
She was born as Aline Murray on August 1, 1888, in
Aline Murray Kilmer (August 1, 1888 – October 1, 1941), was an American poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
, children's book author, and essayist
An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...
, and the wife and widow of poet and journalist Joyce Kilmer
Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an American people, American writer and poet mainly remembered for a short poem titled "Trees (poem), Trees" (1913), which was published in the collection ''Trees and Other Poems'' in ...
(1886-1918). The couple attendeRutgers College Preparatory School
and married shortly after his graduation from
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in 1908.
In their ten-year marriage her husband had achieved fame as a poet, literary critic and among Catholic circles as America's most prominent Catholic writer. After his death in World War I, she began publishing her own poetry and a few children's books. Today, copies of her works can still be found, some oarchive.org
Biography
She was born as Aline Murray on August 1, 1888, in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, the daughter of Ada ( Foster) Murray, a poet; and Kenton C. Murray, editor of the ''Norfolk Landmark'' newspaper. Ada Murray remarried on February 22, 1900 in Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen ( ) is a suburban Borough (New Jersey), borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is a commuter town of New York City, located in the heart of the Raritan River, Raritan Valle ...
to Henry Mills Alden
Henry Mills Alden (November 11, 1836 – October 7, 1919) was an American author and editor of ''Harper's Magazine'' for fifty years—from 1869 until 1919.
Early years
He was born on November 11, 1836, in Mount Tabor near Danby, Vermont, eight ...
, the managing editor of ''Harper's Magazine
''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...
''; he became Aline's stepfather.
Aline Murray was educated at the Rutgers College Grammar School (now Rutgers Preparatory School) in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Vail-Deane School in
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Alfred Joyce Kilmer
Alfred Joyce Kilmer (December 6, 1886 – July 30, 1918) was an American people, American writer and poet mainly remembered for a short poem titled "Trees (poem), Trees" (1913), which was published in the collection ''Trees and Other Poems'' in ...
on June 9, 1908, after he was graduated from Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. The pair had five children: Kenton Sinclair Kilmer (1909-1995), Rose Kilburn Kilmer (1912-1917), Deborah Clanton Kilmer (1914–1999; who became a nun, "Sister Michael", at Saint Benedict Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota), Michael Barry Kilmer (1916-1927) and Christopher Kilmer (1917-1984).
Their daughter Rose was stricken with an infantile paralysis shortly after her birth, a crisis which led Joyce and Aline to convert to Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
."A Tribute to Aline Kilmer" by Francis X. Talbot in ''America'' October 18, 1941, pp. 44-46. Shortly before Joyce's deployment to France in 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 ...
, Rose Kilburn Kilmer died, predeceasing both her parents. During his deployment, her husband was killed in action during the Second Battle of the Marne near Muercy Farm, beside the Ourcq River
The Ourcq (, ''Urc'' in 855) is an river in France, a right tributary of the Marne. Its source is near the village Ronchères, and its course crosses the departments of Aisne, Oise, and Seine-et-Marne. It flows southwest through the towns of ...
near the French village of Seringes-et-Nesles on July 30, 1918 at the age of 31. In 1927, her second son, Michael Barry Kilmer, predeceased her.
After Joyce was killed in action, his widow turned to publishing her poetry and to authoring children's books. Her poetry has been described as "subtle, delicate, and somewhat subdued — certainly far from gayety", and with a tone of "ironic disillusionment" compared to her husband's as "direct, vigorous, gay."
Death
In her final three years, Aline Kilmer suffered from an excruciating illness, lung cancer. She died at her home, "Whitehall", inStillwater, New Jersey
Stillwater Township is a Township (New Jersey), township located in Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated in the Kittatinny Valley, Stillwater is a rural farming community with a long history of dai ...
, on October 1, 1941, aged 52, and was interred at Saint Joseph's Catholic Cemetery in Newton, New Jersey
Newton, officially the ''Town of Newton'', is an Local government in the United States, incorporated municipality in and the county seat of Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County
Five lines from her poem, "Sanctuary", are inscribed on her gravestone:
Tribute page
at ''Rising Dove'' (a site by his granddaughter)
located in Special Collections of the University of Delaware Library.
at the University of Toronto * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kilmer, Aline Murray 1888 births 1941 deaths Converts to Roman Catholicism from Protestantism Catholics from New Jersey Catholics from Virginia American women children's writers American Catholic poets American children's writers American women poets American women essayists Poets from New Jersey Writers from Norfolk, Virginia Poets from Virginia Rutgers Preparatory School alumni People from Stillwater Township, New Jersey 20th-century American poets 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American essayists Writers from Sussex County, New Jersey
There all bright passing beauty is held forever
Free from the sense of tears, to be loved without regret
There we shall find at their source music and love and laughter,
Colour and subtle fragrance and soft incredible textures:
Be sure we shall find what our weary hearts desire.Kilmer, Aline
"Sanctuary"
in ''Hearst International,'' Volume 41. (New York: International Publications, 1922), 22:28.
Works
* 1919: ''Candles That Burn'' (poetry) * 1921: ''Vigils'' (poetry) * 1923: ''Hunting a Hair Shirt and Other Spiritual Adventures'' (essays) * 1925: ''The Poor Kings Daughter and Other Verse'' (poetry) * 1927: ''Emmy, Nicky and Greg'' (children's book) * 1929: ''A Buttonwood Summer'' (children's book) * 1929: ''Selected Poems'' (poetry) *''To Two Little Sisters of the Poor'' (date unknown)References
External links
Tribute page
at ''Rising Dove'' (a site by his granddaughter)
located in Special Collections of the University of Delaware Library.
at the University of Toronto * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kilmer, Aline Murray 1888 births 1941 deaths Converts to Roman Catholicism from Protestantism Catholics from New Jersey Catholics from Virginia American women children's writers American Catholic poets American children's writers American women poets American women essayists Poets from New Jersey Writers from Norfolk, Virginia Poets from Virginia Rutgers Preparatory School alumni People from Stillwater Township, New Jersey 20th-century American poets 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American essayists Writers from Sussex County, New Jersey