Item 0045 - Letter, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, to Lorne

Author Grace Campbell was born near Williamstown, Glengarry County, Ontario in 1895, on the farm which is the setting of her debut novel, Thorn-Apple Tree. She was educated at local schools, entering Queen's University with the MacLennan Glengarry scholarship from Williamstown High School. On her graduation in 1915 she obtained the gold medal in English Literature. She married the Reverend Harvey Campbell and together they had three sons, two of whom were killed in 1944 while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Many of her short stories have been published in Canada, the United States and Great Britain, a few having been translated in the Danish. Her novels focused on the Canadian experience during different points in the country's history. In addition to Thorn-Apple Tree (1942) she is also the author of a number of books including The Higher Hill (1944), Fresh Wind Blowing (1947) and The Tower and The Town (1950). She was a active member of the Canadian Authors Association and the Arts and Letters division of the Council of Women, as well as the Provincial Girls' Work Board, the University Women's Club, and the Women's Canadian Club. She served on the Queen's University Board of Trustees from 1947-1963. Mrs. Campbell died on May 31, 1963 at Niagara-on-the-Lake.