Partner Martha Hale Shackford
Queer Places:
Vassar College (Seven Sisters), 124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland
University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3PA
Yale University (Ivy League), 38 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, CT 06520
New York University, New York, NY 10012, United States
Wellesley College (Seven Sisters), 106 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02481
Columbia University (Ivy League), 116th St and Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Briggs Cemetery, 146-148 Brookline Rd, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, United States
Margaret Pollock Sherwood (November 1, 1864 - September 24, 1955) was born on November 1, 1864, in Ballston, New York, to parents Thomas B. Sherwood and
Mary Frances Beattie Sherwood. She grew up alongside her siblings, Dr. Mary J. Sherwood, Abbie Adella Sherwood
Bailey, and William B. Sherwood. She completed her secondary education at a private boarding school in Newburgh, New York, before graduating from
Vassar College in 1886, where she notably delivered a commencement talk titled "Iago's Opinion of Himself." Continuing her education abroad, she studied
for a semester at the University of Zurich in 1888, followed by a semester at the University of Oxford. She later earned her Ph.D. from Yale University in
1898 and was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree from New York University on June 9, 1920.
Building a distinguished academic and literary career, Sherwood taught in the English department at Wellesley College from 1889 until her retirement in
1931, specializing in English Romantic poetry. During her tenure, she also taught part-time at the University Extension of Columbia University and returned
to Vassar on several occasions to speak, including addresses on "Vox Alumnae" in 1905 and the "Ideal College for Women" in 1906. As a prolific author, she
published novels, short stories, poetry, and essays, often utilizing the pseudonym "Elizabeth Hastings" for works such as her 1895 debut novel, An
Experiment in Altruism, which generated considerable discussion regarding the author's identity and explored themes of Christian compassion alongside the
stark realities of charity work. Her extensive bibliography further included Henry Worthington, Idealist (1899), which fictionalized Wellesley faculty
debates regarding donations from John D. Rockefeller; Daphne, an Autumn Pastoral (1903), serialized in The Atlantic Monthly following her travels in
England and Italy; Undercurrents of Influence in English Romantic Poetry (1934); and her final novel, Pilgrim Feet, published by the Montrose Press in
Wakefield, Massachusetts, when she was eighty-one years old. Additionally, she frequently contributed poetry, criticism, and essays to prominent
publications like Scribner's Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, the North American Review, and The Smart Set, alongside short stories published in The
Cornhill Magazine.
Sherwood's personal life and enduring legacy were deeply intertwined with her professional community at Wellesley College. During an era when academic
women achieving professional success were typically unwilling to compromise their careers for traditional marriages, Sherwood and her fellow Wellesley
faculty member, Martha Hale Shackford, formed a committed partnership. They were part of a broader
network within the Wellesley English department where women paired off in supportive lesbian arrangements, constructing solutions that fulfilled their
desires for love, companionship, and intellectual support while preserving their hard-won independence and professional achievements.
Following her death on September 24, 1955, at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, she was buried at Briggs Cemetery in Ballston Spa,
New York. In her will, Sherwood left significant bequests, including $100,000 to Vassar College to establish The Margaret Pollock Sherwood 1886 Fund for
the college library and $140,000 to the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky. Having previously established the Martha Hale Shackford Scholarship at
Wellesley in 1953, her life and partnership were further commemorated when the Margaret Sherwood Memorial Window, designed by Shackford, was dedicated in
Wellesley's Houghton Memorial Chapel in 1958.
Margaret Pollock Sherwood and Martha Hale Shackford
References:
Other references:
- Papers of Margaret P. Sherwood (1883–1956) – Maintained by the Wellesley College Archives, containing lecture and personal notes, journals, clippings, photographs, reviews, original manuscripts, correspondence, and personal documents.
- Vassar Encyclopedia – Features a detailed biographical profile ("Margaret Pollock Sherwood '1886") documenting her education, commencement speeches, institutional bequests, and ties to Vassar College.
- The New York Times & Hartford Courant – Contemporary obituaries published following her passing on September 24, 1955 (e.g., New York Times, Sept. 26, 1955).
- The Boston Daily Globe – Contains coverage regarding the dedication of the memorial window ("Dedication," June 14, 1958).
- Wellesley Townsman – Local historical coverage regarding her colleague and partner, Martha Hale Shackford.
- An Experiment in Altruism (Macmillan, 1895) – Published under the pseudonym "Elizabeth Hastings".
- Henry Worthington, Idealist (Macmillan, 1899)
- Daphne, an Autumn Pastoral (Houghton, Mifflin, 1903) – Initially serialized in The Atlantic Monthly.
- Undercurrents of Influence in English Romantic Poetry (Harvard University Press, 1934)
- Pilgrim Feet (Montrose Press, 1949)
- Periodical Contributions – Frequent articles, poems, and critical essays published in Scribner’s Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The North American Review, and The Smart Set.
Support this project
This website is a passion project researched, developed, and funded entirely by me. If you find the content valuable and would like to help support the ongoing research and hosting costs, any contribution is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for keeping this independent resource alive!
My books on Amazon: Elisa Rolle's books
BACK TO HOME PAGE
