Marie Louise Van Vorst (November 23, 1867 – December 16, 1936) was an American writer, researcher, painter, and volunteer nurse 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 ...

Early life

Marie Louise Van Vorst was born in New York City, the daughter of Hooper Cumming Van Vorst and Josephine Adele Treat Van Vorst. Her father was a judge on the New York City Superior Court and president of the Century Club.Edd Applegate
''Muckrakers: A Biographical Dictionary of Writers and Editors''
(Scarecrow Press 2008): 189–191.

Career

Van Vorst and her widowed sister-in-law,

Bessie Van Vorst Bessie Van Vorst (née McGinnis; September 2, 1873 – May 19, 1928), also known as Mrs. John Van Vorst, was an American author and journalist. She is best known as a co-author of the magazine series and the book ''The Woman Who Toils: Bein ...

, moved to France and co-wrote novels together, including ''Bagsby's Daughter'' (1901). For ''The Woman Who Toils: Being the Experiences of Two Ladies as Factory Girls'' (1903), they went undercover at a pickle factory in Pittsburgh; a textile mill outside Buffalo, New York; a variety of sweat shops in Chicago; a shoe factory in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

; and a Southern cotton mill to learn about working women's lives. The book's introduction was written by

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

. Marie Van Vorst also wrote regularly for ''

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 ...

'', ''

Good Housekeeping ''Good Housekeeping'' is an American lifestyle media brand that covers a wide range of topics from home decor and renovation, health, beauty and food, to entertainment, pets and gifts. The Good Housekeeping Institute which opened its "Experiment ...

'', and other national publications.Montrose J. Moses
"Novelist and Red Cross Nurse: A Study of Marie Van Vorst"
'' Book News Monthly'' (November 1915): 102–104. Van Vorst's books include ''Philip Longstreth'' (1902), ''

Poems Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

(1903)'', ''Amanda of the Mill'' (1905), ''Miss Desmond'' (1905), ''The Sins of George Warrener'' (1906), ''The Sentimental Adventures of Jimmy Bulstrode'' (1908), ''In Ambush'' (1909), ''First Love'' (1910), ''The Girl from His Town'' (1910), ''The Broken Bell'' (1912), ''His Love Story'' (1913), ''Big Tremaine'' (1914), ''Mary Moreland'' (1915), ''Fairfax and His Bride'' (1920), ''Tradition'' (1921), ''The Queen of Karmania'' (1922), ''Goodnight Ladies!'' (1931), and ''The Gardenia'' (1933). Three of her novels were adapted for silent films before 1920. During World War I, she volunteered as a field hospital worker at

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...

and Paris, and wrote ''War Letters of an American Woman'' (1916) about her experiences in the war zone. In the same year she published a book of poetry, ''War Poems'' (1916). She returned to the United States to give lectures and raise funds for American ambulances in France. In 1918, she took charge of a postwar relief organization in Italy. In 1922, Van Vorst was encouraged by artist Mary Foote to take up painting, and exhibited her art in New York City.

Personal life

Van Vorst in 1916 married widower Count Gaetano Cagiati in Paris in a small wedding ceremony at

Notre Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France. It ...

. She later adopted a war orphan, a son she named Frederick John Barth Van Vorst. In 1936, while in

Florence, Italy Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence was a centre of medieval European t ...

, she died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

at the age of 69."Marie Van Vorst, Author, 69, is Dead"
''New York Times'' (December 18, 1936): 25.

Gallery

The Dial (Volume 75) (page 661 crop).jpg, The Grey Boa by Marie Van Vorst, published in 1923 The Dial (Volume 75) (page 663 crop).jpg, London Pride by Marie Van Vorst, published in 1923

References

External links

Two poems by Marie Van Vorst
at Allpoetry.com. * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Vorst, Marie 1867 births 1936 deaths Writers from New York City American women writers American women artists American women in World War I