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SONOMA COUNTY CHAPTER, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF .AMERICAN PEN WOMEN
By Mr So Edward H, Connor
We have, here in our county, a versatile, talented group of ladies who have
contributed much to the literary and artistic heritage of the area. Their
history goes back to September, 1926, when tentative plans were made and Eugenia
To Finn of Santa Rosa was appointed organizing president by Mary Bird Clayes,
then state v.p. for northern Calif. Two years of alternating anticipation and
disappointment passed before the unit was formally activated, and on May 14, 19-
27, Miss Bernice C. Downing, state v.p. formally established the branch and
greeted the new members in the name. of the National Order,
At a meeting in Mrs, Finn's home, she was elected the first president, the
other officers elected being; Grace M. Davis, Sebastopol, v.p; Edith Granger
Hawkes, Fulton, treasurer; Nell Griffith 'Wilson, Kenwood, historian, Sarah Hamm¬
ond Kelly, Santa Rosa, corres. secty and Byrd Weyler Kellogg, S.R., recording
seety. A telegram from Grace Thompson Seton, national president, read as foll¬
ows: " All greetings to the new Sonoma County branch members. May they grow
strong and numerous, and be as proud of us as we are of them.”
A message from Alita Huggins, president of the Santa Clara branch, said5
'V congratulations to the baby sister of the Santa Clara branch of the League of
American Pen il? omen-vis it us some day on the first Saturday of the month, our
meeting date.”
The ladies adoptedas their motto "One for all and All for One." (This
motto i s still very much in force today, almost 40 years later, this writer
can attest. )
Eugenia (lira, Walter E,F„ ) Townsend Finn came with admirable qualifications
- as the organizer of the Burlingame Writers Club in 1922; became a Pen Woman
in 1925, member of the ’Writers Guild of Sonoma County, 1930, ^o, Co. Chapter of
league of Western Writers, 1931, Two of her publications were "Out of the Sil¬
ence", a brochure of verse, and "Crystal Vision," a book of verse, 1938, ^he
died March 15, 1957o
Edith Granger Hawkes, A.B., was educated in Chicago schools and Smith College
- did educational work for A,C. McClurg & Co», publishers (1893-1895) and was
posbnistress at Fulton from 1921 to 1939, A writer of verse and articles, she
published "Granger 'd Index to Poetry and Recitations" in 1905 (later revised).
Member of Saturday J fterhoon Club, Santa Rosa, A.A.U.W. and lotsral branch of
League of Western Wi iterb .
Sarah Hammond Kelly, poet and writer of fiction & nonfiction, was the niece
of Sarah Estelle Hammond Greathead, a poet of renown, Mrs. Kelly took six years
to write her best poem, which accounted for her many saTss and frequent prize¬
winning poems. In 1948, she was elected a national vice-president, (Pen Women).
A native of Michigan, she came to Calif, in 1897 and was a 1914 graduate of U.C,
For several years she wrote a daily column for the Santa Rosa Republican. Her
poems are included in several anthologies. Ghe died January 30, 1958.
Byrd Weyler Kellogg, in early days, was a neighbor of William Allen Yfhite, the
famous editor, and worked summers on his Emporia, Kansas, Gazette, She and her
husband, Aharles, came to Santa Rosa in 1912, ^he began writing poetry, fiction,
county womens magazines, and prize-winning film scenario, She helped organize
the Sonoma county symphony orchestra, in 1922, she became the social editor
for the Press democrat, which post she held until 1950, when she headed the church
food A garden departments until her retirement in 1963, at the age of 82<s A
remarkable record. She died July 5, 1964,
Nell Griffith Wilson, born at Vine Hill near Santa Rosa, to talented and artistic
parents - her mother, Ida J, Fleming Griff ith, worte verse and was also musical
and artistic; her father, Nathaniel A, Griffith, was a musician and a great
lover of nature (he planted many redwood trees to develop the lovely acres known
as Griffith Woods. Nell began putting words into verse at age nine. At high
school, her teacher, Miss Frances O'Meara, encouraged her to write her English
papers in verse. (One of her class mates was Robert Ripley,)
After her marriage to Ned S. Wilson, she began to sell childrens poems and greet¬
ing card verse to many leading magazines and newspapers, her work being includ¬
ed in many anthologies. 'The author of two books, Deeper Harvest and The Heart
Remembers, and three booklets; Apple Blossom Time, Our Valley of the Moon, and
Boquet. Her most widely reprinted peom, ^he Blood Donor's Paayer, won a national
prize, was requested for Eleanor RooseveltSs column and was shown at many blood
banks. (Story of So. Lo, Pen Women continued in S0pt. issue. Eternal thanks
and gratefulness for their kindness in making this writer a new member.
