1872
|
|
December 5
|
Charles
Fectigue Cather marries Mary Virginia (Jennie) Boak. |
1873
|
|
Summer
|
Charles
Cather's elder brother, George, and his wife Frances (Aunt Franc) move to
Webster County, Nebraska. |
December 7
|
Wilella
Sibert Cather is born in the home of her maternal grandmother, Rachel Boak,
in Back Creek Valley, near Winchester, Virginia |
1874
|
|
Fall
|
The
Charles Cather family moves to Willow Shade, home of Willa's paternal grandparents,
William and Caroline Cather, located between Back Creek Valley and Winchester. |
1877
|
William
and Caroline Cather move to Nebraska. |
1883
|
|
February
|
Willow
Shade sold. |
April
|
Charles
and Jennie Cather and their children, Willa, Roscoe (b. 1877), Douglass
(b. 1880), and Jessica (b. 1881), move to Catherton Precinct, Webster County,
Nebraska. This region, a broad plateau between the Little Blue and Republican
rivers, is known as "The Divide." |
Fall
|
Attends
the New Virginia country school. |
1884-1885
|
The
Charles Cather family moves to the county seat, Red Cloud, some time during
this year. |
1885-1890
|
|
|
During
these years Willa receives her early education, attending grammar school
and high school, although at first she was taught at home. Two more children,
James (b. 1886) and Elsie (b. 1890) are born. Other members of the household
are Mrs. Rachel Boak, a cousin Bess Seymour, and Margie Anderson, the "hired
girl." |
June, 1890
|
Graduates
from high school giving the commencement address "Superstition vs.
Investigation." |
September, 1890
|
Goes
to Lincoln, Nebraska, and enrolls in the Latin School (University Prep). |
1891
|
|
March 1
|
Essay
on Carlyle appears in the Nebraska State Journal, submitted by
her teacher, Ebenezer Hunt, without her knowledge. |
September
|
Matriculates
at the University of Nebraska. |
November
|
Essay
on Hamlet appears in Nebraska State Journal. |
1892
|
|
May
|
Story,
"Peter," appears in The Mahogany Tree, submitted by Professor
Herbert Bates. "Peter" is Willa's first published fiction. |
June
|
Poem,
"Shakespeare: A Freshman Theme," appears in the student newspaper,
The Hesperian. This is Willa's first published poetry. |
Fall
|
Becomes
literary editor of The Hesperian.
John (Jack) Cather, Willa's
brother, is born.
|
1893
|
|
November
|
Becomes
a regular contributor to the Nebraska State Journal; she begins
to review plays and write a Sunday column. She is also managing editor of
The Hesperian and contributes numerous pieces. |
1894-1895
|
|
|
Continues
as a regular contributor to the Nebraska State Journal and also
contributes to University publications. |
February, 1895
|
Meets
author Stephen Crane (Red Badge of Courage). |
March, 1895
|
Travels
to Chicago and sees a week of opera. |
June, 1895
|
Graduates
from the University of Nebraska. |
Fall, 1895
|
Associates
briefly with the Lincoln Courier. |
1896
|
|
January-May
|
Mostly
living at home in Red Cloud. Tries and fails to get a teaching appointment
at the University of Nebraska. Has stories published in Overland Monthly
and Nebraska Literary Magazine. |
Late June
|
Leaves
Red Cloud for Pittsburgh, where she is to edit a family magazine, the Home
Monthly. By July 13, she is settled in a Pittsburgh boarding house,
and is at work on the August issue of the magazine. In a letter of that
date to Mrs. Charles Gere, Willa mentions that she is using a half-dozen
pen names. |
October-November
|
Contributes
drama criticisms to the Pittsburgh Leader. A review on November
24 is signed "Willa." |
1897
|
|
January-June
|
Working
on the Home Monthly. Contributes column ("The Passing Show")
to the Nebraska State Journal up through May 30. In June, Willa
returns to Red Cloud. |
July
|
Writes
her friend George Seibel, in Pittsburgh, that the Home Monthly
is sold, but she is planning to come back anyway and hopes to get into newspaper
work. |
September
|
Offered
a job on the Pittsburgh Leader; is back in Pittsburgh early in
September. |
Fall
|
Working
on telegraph desk and writing play and book reviews. Begins sending "The
Passing Show" to the Lincoln Courier. Continues to write her
"Helen Delay" book column for the Home Monthly. |
1898
|
|
February
|
Spends
a week in New York, has lunch with Modjeska; may have contributed a review
or reviews to the New York Sun. |
May
|
Visits
her cousin, Howard Gore, in Washington D.C. |
July-August
|
Vacationing
in Red Cloud; makes a trip to the Black Hills and Wyoming. |
October-December
|
Mostly
in Pittsburgh working on the Leader; spends some time in Columbus,
Ohio, with her friends the Canfields, first recuperating from an illness,
then for Thanksgiving. |
1899
|
Except
for an interval in Red Cloud during the summer, remains in Pittsburgh, working
on the Leader. Continues to contribute to Courier. Last
contribution to Home Monthly in December. Meets Isabelle McClung
during this year. |
1900
|
|
|
During
the late spring (?) of this year, Willa Cather resigned from the Pittsburgh
Leader. Her poems appear in national magazines. |
March-August
|
Contributes
to The Library, a short-lived Pittsburgh periodical. |
April
|
Story,
"Eric Hermannson's Soul," appears in Cosmopolitan. |
May
|
Last
"Passing Show" appears in the Courier, May 12. |
Fall
|
Moves
to Washington, D.C. Secures a part-time job editing translations. |
November-December
|
Article
about Nevin appears in the Ladies' Home Journal. Writes a Washington
column which appears in the Nebraska State Journal and Index
of Pittsburgh Life until March, 1901. |
1901
|
|
March
|
Story,
"Jack-a-Boy," appears in the Saturday Evening Post. Returns
to Pittsburgh where Willa begins to teach Latin and English at Central High
School. During the spring she begins to live at the McClung residence. |
June
|
Story,
"El Dorado," appears in New England Magazine. |
July-August
|
Visits
Red Cloud — first time home in two years. |
September
|
Resumes
teaching at Central High School. |
1902
|
|
April
|
Last
contribution to the Lincoln Courier. |
June-September
|
Goes
abroad with Isabelle McClung. "The Professor's Commencement" appears
in New England Magazine. Weekly columns about her trip appear in
the Nebraska State Journal. Articles also appear in the Pittsburgh
Gazette. |
Fall
|
"The
Treasure of Far Island" appears in New England Magazine. "Poets
of Our Younger Generation" appears in the Gazette. |
1903
|
|
January
|
"'A
Death in the Desert'" appears in Scribner's. |
April
|
Publishes
a book of verse, April Twilights. |
Summer
|
Vacations
in Nebraska. |
1904-1905
|
Teaches
at Allegheny High School and freelances. Publishes a collection of short
stories, The Troll Garden, in May, 1905. Visits Edith Lewis in
New York both years. |
1906
|
|
June
|
Ends
teaching career and moves to New York. Joins McClure's editorial
staff during this year. |
1907
|
Working
on McClure's. Spends much of the year in Boston working on the
life of Mary Baker Eddy. Three stories appear in McClure's, one
in Century. |
1908
|
|
March
|
Meets
Sarah Orne Jewett and Mrs. Fields. |
April-May
|
Promoted
to managing editor of McClure's. Goes abroad with Isabelle McClung;
probably returns in July. |
December
|
"On
the Gulls' Road" appears in McClure's. |
1910
|
|
May
|
Travels
to London for McClure's. Begins working on first novel, Alexander's
Bridge. |
1911
|
|
June
|
Returns
from London and continues editorial work at McClure's. |
Summer
|
Completes
Alexander's Bridge. S. S. McClure dismissed from McClure's
magazine by new owners. |
Fall
|
On
leave of absence from McClure's. Rents house in Cherry Valley,
New York, with Isabelle McClung. Works on "The Bohemian Girl"
and "Alexandra" — the latter eventually becomes part of O
Pioneers! |
1912
|
|
February-April
|
Alexander's
Bridge is serialized in McClure's under the title Alexander's
Masquerade. |
April
|
Publishes
Alexander's Bridge in book form with Houghton Mifflin Company.
The book costs $1.00.
"Behind the Singer Tower"
appears in Collier's. Visits brother Douglas in Winslow, Arizona.
Apparently still on leave of absence from McClure's; resigns
some time during the year.
|
June-July
|
Visits
Red Cloud |
August
|
"The
Bohemian Girl" appears in McClure's. Visits Isabelle McClung
in Pittsburgh. At work on "The White Mulberry Tree" —an episode
of O Pioneers!, which is published in June, 1913. |
Fall
|
Moves
into 5 Bank Street, New York, with Edith Lewis; this will be her home for
the next fifteen years. Began working with S. S. McClure on his autobiography. |
1913
|
|
March
|
Interviews
Olive Fremstad, a Swedish-born immigrant and reigning Wagnerian soprano,
for "Three American Singers." Fremstad is the inspiration for Thea
Kronborg in The Song of the Lark. |
June 28
|
Publishes
O Pioneers! with Houghton Mifflin Company. The book costs $1.25
and has a first printing of 2,000 copies. |
1913-1914
|
|
October-May
|
My
Autobiography by S. S. McClure serialized in McClure's. |
1914
|
|
Summer
|
Writes
articles for McClure's. |
September
|
Visits
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with Isabelle McClung.
McClure's My Autobiography
published in book form at a cost of $1.75 per book.
|
1914-1915
|
|
October-February
|
Writes
The Song of the Lark. Meets often with Fremstad. |
1915
|
|
Summer
|
Visits
Mesa Verde for first time with Edith Lewis. Conversations with Richard's
Wetherill's brother (Wetherill co-discovered the Cliff Palace in 1888) inspires
"Tom Outland's Story" in The Professor's House.
The month Willa and Edith spent
in New Mexico provides the material that eventually goes into Death
Comes for the Archbishop twelve years later.
|
October
|
Publishes
The Song of the Lark with Houghton Mifflin Company. The book costs
$1.40 and has a first printing of 3,000 copies. |
Winter
|
Judge
McClung dies. Isabelle McClung announces she is to be married. |
1916
|
|
|
Travels
to New Mexico with Edith Lewis for a longer stay. Visits brother Roscoe
in Lander, Wyoming. Also visits Red Cloud and is inspired to write a new
novel. |
November
|
Begins
writing My �ntonia. |
1917
|
|
June
|
Receives
honorary degree from the University of Nebraska. Visits Roscoe's family
in Wyoming. |
1918
|
|
June
|
Finishes
manuscript for My �ntonia. |
Fall
|
Visits
Red Cloud and reads the letters her young cousin G. P. Cather had written
his mother before he was killed at Cantigny in May. Before she leaves Nebraska,
Willa resolves to make her cousin the subject of her next novel. Begins
working on One of Ours. |
September
|
Publishes
My �ntonia with Houghton Mifflin. The book costs $1.60 and has a first
printing of 3,500 copies. A contract was signed on January 24, 1918, with
the same royalty terms as The Song of the Lark: 15% to 25,000 copies
and 20% thereafter. |
November 11
|
Armistice
signed to end World War I. |
1920
|
|
Spring
|
Introduces
herself to Alfred A. Knopf and they begin a 27 year publishing partnership. |
Late Summer/Fall
|
Travels
to Europe with Edith Lewis to see the battlefields and countryside before
she could finish One of Ours. Visits G. P. Cather's grave. |
September
|
Publishes
Youth and the Bright Medusa with Knopf. The book costs $2.25 and
has a first printing of 3,500 copies. |
November
|
Returns
to the United States from Naples. |
1921
|
|
April-July
|
Lives
with Isabelle and Jan Hambourg in Toronto. Sinclair Lewis lectures in Toronto
and says nice things about her work; Willa is pleased. Reads copies of the
Red Cloud newspaper and learns about the death of Lyra Anderson, wife of
former Governor Garber and once Red Cloud's great lady. The story of A
Lost Lady comes to life in Willa's mind.
Visits Red Cloud in July, her
first visit home in three years. Finishes One of Ours.
|
September
|
Visits
Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Possibly
writes "Tom Outland's Story." Also writes part of A Lost Lady. |
Winter
|
Has
tonsils removed, hemorrhages and is very ill. Recuperates in sanatorium
in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. Returns to New York and has fresh anxiety
over her mother's illness. |
1922
|
|
July
|
Spends
three weeks teaching at the Bread Loaf School in Middlebury, Vermont. |
September
|
Publishes
One of Ours with Knopf. Limited issue publication, 345 copies at
$10.00; trade issue printing of 12,000 copies at $2.50. |
November-December
|
Returns
to Red Cloud for Thanksgiving and helps celebrate her parents 50th wedding
anniversary. She and her parents join the Episcopal Church in which Willa
would be an active member for the rest of her life. |
1923
|
|
April
|
Sails
to Europe for six-month stay with Isabelle and Jan Hambourg near Paris.
Sits for portrait commissioned by the city of Omaha, Nebraska; the portrait
hangs in the Omaha Public Library. |
April-June
|
Serializes
A Lost Lady in Century. |
September
|
Publishes
A Lost Lady in book form with Knopf. The book costs $1.75 and has
a first printing of 20,000 copies. Warner Brothers acquires screen rights
to the novel for $10,000; Irene Rich and George Fawcett played the
leading roles in the 1925 production. |
November
|
Returns
to New York and begins writing The Professor's House. |
1924
|
|
Spring
|
Meets
Frieda and D. H. Lawrence in New York. |
Winter
|
Finishes
writing The Professor's House. |
1925
|
|
June-August
|
Serializes
The Professor's House in Collier's.
Visits Red Cloud and the Southwest.
In Santa Fe, discovers a book printed in 1908 by a priest named William
Howlett: The Life of the Right Reverend Joseph P. Machelboeuf.
Rev. Machelboeuf was the vicar to Archbishop Lamy of New Mexico. Machelboeuf
and Lamy are Joseph Vaillant and Jean Marie Latour in Death Comes
for the Archbishop which Willa begins writing in the fall of 1925
and finishes in the fall of 1926.
Gives lectures at Bowdoin College,
the University of Chicago, and in Cleveland.
|
September
|
Publishes
The Professor's House in book form with Knopf. The book costs $2.00
and has a first printing of 20,000 copies. |
1926
|
|
October
|
Publishes
My Mortal Enemy with Knopf. The book costs $2.50 and has a first
printing of 10,000 copies. |
1927
|
|
January-June
|
Serializes
Death Comes for the Archbishop in Forum. |
September
|
Publishes
Death Comes for the Archbishop in book form with Knopf. The book
costs $2.50 and has a first printing of 25,000 copies. The second and third
printings were bound and distributed before the initial September 2 publication
date.
Moves from 5 Bank Street to
the Grosvenor Hotel at 35 Fifth Avenue in New York when the house is to
be torn down to make room for a new subway. Willa and Edith Lewis live
at the Grosvenor for five years.
|
1928
|
|
March
|
Charles
Cather dies of a heart attack on March 3. Willa arrives in Red Cloud the
day after her father died, about three o'clock in the morning.Willa stays
in Red Cloud for a month after the funeral. Her brother Douglass takes their
mother to Southern California. |
June
|
Receives
honorary degree from Columbia University.
Visits Quebec for first time
while traveling to her cottage in Grand Manan. Willa's visit to Quebec
is the genesis for Shadows on the Rock.
|
November-December
|
Spends
Thanksgiving in Quebec. Begins working on Shadows on the Rock in December.
Willa Cather returned to Quebec three more times before finishing the novel.
Jennie Cather, Willa's mother,
has a stroke while in California.
|
1929
|
|
Spring
|
Spends
time in Long Beach, California, with her mother. |
June
|
Receives
honorary degree from Yale. |
July-August
|
Spends
time writing at Whale Cove Cottage in Grand Manan. |
1930
|
|
March
|
Visits
her mother in a sanitarium in Pasadena. |
May-October
|
Visits
France. Writes "A Chance Meeting" after meeting Gustave Flaubert's
niece at the Grand Hotel d'Aix in Aix-les-Bains. |
Fall
|
Finishes
writing Shadows on the Rock.
Receives the gold medal of
the American Academy of Arts and Letters for Death Comes for the Archbishop.
Visits her mother for the last
time.
|
1931
|
|
June
|
Leaves
California and returns East.
Receives honorary degree from
Princeton.
|
August
|
Jennie
Cather dies while Willa is at Grand Manan Island.
Publishes Shadows
on the Rock with Knopf. The book costs $2.50 and has a first printing
of 25,000 copies.
|
December
|
Cather
family reunion in Red Cloud. |
1932
|
|
August
|
Publishes
a collection of short stories in Obscure Destinies. |
December
|
Moves
from the Grosvenor Hotel to 570 Park Avenue. Begins writing Lucy Gayheart. |
1933
|
Receives
the Prix Femina Am�ricain for Shadows on the Rock.
Receives honorary degree from
Smith College.
|
1935
|
|
|
Visits
Isabelle Hambourg, who came to the United States in March to consult American
doctors for a malady that proves to be incurable. |
August
|
Publishes
Lucy Gayheart with Knopf. The book costs $2.50 and has a first
printing of 25,000 copies. |
1936
|
|
November
|
Publishes
Not Under Forty, a collection of essays, with Knopf. |
1937
|
|
Fall
|
Begins
writing Sapphira and the Slave Girl. |
1938
|
|
June
|
Brother
Douglass dies of a heart attack. Willa is devastated and does not attend
the funeral. |
October
|
Isabelle
Hambourg dies in Sorrento. |
1939
|
World
War II breaks out when France falls to Hitler's armies. Willa writes in
her diary, "There seems to be no future at all for people of my generation." |
1940
|
|
September
|
Finishes
writing Sapphira and the Slave Girl while at Grand Manan Island.
The novel takes place in 1856 in the Shenandoah Valley of Willa's early
childhood. |
December
|
Publishes
Sapphira and the Slave Girl with Knopf. The book costs $2.50 and
has a first printing of 50,000 copies. |
1944
|
Receives
gold medal from the National Institute of Arts and Letters. S. S. McClure
is also honored for his services to journalism and literature. |
1945
|
Brother
Roscoe dies. Willa and Roscoe always kept in close contact. His death severs
the last close link she had to her past. |
1947
|
|
April 24
|
Willa
Cather dies at the age of 73 of a massive cerebral hemorrhage. She is buried
four days later at Jaffrey, New Hampshire, on the hillside spot that she
had selected. The inscription on her tombstone reads:
WILLA CATHER
December 7, 1876 - April 24,
1947
THE TRUTH AND CHARITY
OF HER GREAT
SPIRIT WILL LIVE ON IN THE WORK
WHICH IS HER ENDURING GIFT TO HER
COUNTRY AND ALL ITS PEOPLE.
"...that is happiness;
to be dissolved
into something complete and great."
From My �ntonia
|
1948
|
|
September
|
A collection
of short stories, The Old Beauty and Others, is published posthumously
by Knopf. The collection costs $2.50 and has a first printing of 20,300
copies. |
