Matilda May Forney (May 17, 1862 - June 25, 1922) was a writer and journalist.

Early life

Matilda May Forney was born in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, on May 17, 1862, the youngest child of Colonel

John Weiss Forney John Weiss Forney (30 September 1817 – 9 December 1881) was an American newspaper publisher and politician. He was clerk of the United States House of Representatives from 1851 through 1856, and again from 1860 through 1861. He was thereafter se ...

(1817–1881), founder and editor of the ''Philadelphia Press'', who wielded an acknowledged great political and social influence. His daughter, having inherited many of her distinguished father's tastes and ambitions, became his almost constant companion after leaving Miss Carr's celebrated academy on

Old York Road Old York Road, originally York Road, with reference to New York, is a roadway that was built during the 18th century to connect Philadelphia with New York City. The road was built along the Raritan tribe, Raritan tribe's Naraticong Trail, als ...

in Pennsylvania. She was raised in a home of luxury. The Forney library was one of the finest in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. Her mother, Elizabeth Matilda Reitzel (1820–1897), was an accomplished lady of the old school, and she and her daughter were both social favorites.

Career

Forney wrote for publication from early girlhood, and she then took up the task systematically and wrote regularly for prominent journals, besides acting frequently as her father's amanuensis, both in this country and in Europe. Under his experienced eye she received careful training for the work she preferred above all others. No accomplishment suitable to her sex was neglected in her education. She possessed a voice of unusual range and sweetness, and at that period it was her teacher's wish that all her interest should be centered on her musical talent, but it seemed impossible for her to drop her pen. She grew fonder of her literary duties every year, and was a constant contributor to notable magazines in New York City, Philadelphia, and the West Coast. Together with her brother, John W. Forney Jr., Forney published ''The Progress''. She was editor of ''Table Talk''.

Personal life

Tillie May Forney resided with her widowed mother in the old family residence, at 618

Locust Street Locust Street is a major historic street in Center City Philadelphia. The street is the location of several prominent Philadelphia-based buildings, historic sights, and high-rise residential locations. It is an east–west street throughout Ce ...

in the Washington Square section of

Death

Forney died on June 25, 1922, and is buried with her parents at

West Laurel Hill Cemetery West Laurel Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1869, is in size, and contains the burials of many notable people. It is affiliated with Laurel Hill Cemetery in nearby Philadelphia. ...

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community and census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania and borders the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forney, Tillie May 1862 births 1922 deaths 20th-century American women journalists 19th-century American journalists 19th-century American women journalists 20th-century American journalists 20th-century American women writers Burials at West Laurel Hill Cemetery Journalists from Philadelphia Journalists from Washington, D.C. Locust Street Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century