Winnifred Eaton
Encyclopedia
Winnifred Eaton, was a Canadian author
. Although she was of Chinese-British ancestry, she published under the Japanese pseudonym, Onoto Watanna.
mother while on a business trip to Shanghai, China. Her mother was Grace "Lotus Blossom" Trefusis, the adopted daughter of English missionaries.
In the early 1870s, the Eaton family left England to live in Hudson, New York
but stayed there only a short time before relocating to Montreal, where Winnifred was born. Her father struggled to make a living and the large family (14 children) went through difficult times. Nonetheless, the children were raised in an intellectually stimulating environment that saw Winnifred's elder sister, Edith Maude Eaton
(1865–1914) become a journalist and an author of stories about the struggles of impoverished Chinese immigrants, under the pen name Sui Sin Far.
, notably the Ladies' Home Journal
.
She left home at the age of seventeen to take a job as a stenographer for a Canadian newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica
. She remained there for a year, then moved to Chicago, Illinois where for a time she worked as a typist while continuing to write short stories. Eventually, her compositions were accepted by the prestigious Saturday Evening Post as well as by other popular periodicals. She moved from this to writing novels, capitalizing on her mixed ancestry to pass herself off as a Japanese American
by the name of "Onoto Watanna" (which sounds Japanese but is not Japanese at all). Under this pseudonym she published romance novels and short stories that were widely read throughout the United States.
In 1900, she moved to New York City
, where her second major novel, A Japanese Nightingale, was published. It proved extremely successful, being translated into several languages and eventually adapted both as a Broadway
play and then, in 1919, as a motion picture. Her novel Tama
(1910) was a runaway bestseller and her novel Me, A Book of Remembrance, a thinly disguised memoir, told a titillating tale of a woman's infidelities.
While living in New York Winnifred Eaton met and married Bertrand Babcock, with whom she had four children (three sons and a daughter). The marriage ended in divorce, and in 1917 she married Francis Reeve. Moving to Calgary, Alberta in her native Canada, she continued to produce more successful novels until she returned to New York in 1924 to write screenplays for the burgeoning film industry. In 1932, she returned to Calgary, where she became an active member of the artistic community, founding the Little Theatre
movement and serving as the president of the Calgary branch of the Canadian Authors' Association.
In 1954, while returning home from a vacation in California
, Winnifred Eaton fell ill and died of heart failure in Butte, Montana. Following her death, her husband donated funds to build the Reeve Theatre at the University of Calgary
. A collection of her works is maintained at the Glenbow Archives in Calgary.
Adapted from the article Winnifred Eaton, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
.
Biography:
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Although she was of Chinese-British ancestry, she published under the Japanese pseudonym, Onoto Watanna.
Biography
Winnifred Eaton was the daughter of an English merchant, Edward Eaton, who met her ChineseHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
mother while on a business trip to Shanghai, China. Her mother was Grace "Lotus Blossom" Trefusis, the adopted daughter of English missionaries.
In the early 1870s, the Eaton family left England to live in Hudson, New York
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
but stayed there only a short time before relocating to Montreal, where Winnifred was born. Her father struggled to make a living and the large family (14 children) went through difficult times. Nonetheless, the children were raised in an intellectually stimulating environment that saw Winnifred's elder sister, Edith Maude Eaton
Edith Maude Eaton
Sui Sin Far was an author known for her writing about Chinese people in North America and the Chinese American experience...
(1865–1914) become a journalist and an author of stories about the struggles of impoverished Chinese immigrants, under the pen name Sui Sin Far.
Literary career
Winnifred Eaton was only fourteen years old when one of her stories was accepted for publication by a Montreal newspaper that had already published pieces by her sister. Before long she also had articles published in several popular magazines in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, notably the Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
.
She left home at the age of seventeen to take a job as a stenographer for a Canadian newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. She remained there for a year, then moved to Chicago, Illinois where for a time she worked as a typist while continuing to write short stories. Eventually, her compositions were accepted by the prestigious Saturday Evening Post as well as by other popular periodicals. She moved from this to writing novels, capitalizing on her mixed ancestry to pass herself off as a Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
by the name of "Onoto Watanna" (which sounds Japanese but is not Japanese at all). Under this pseudonym she published romance novels and short stories that were widely read throughout the United States.
In 1900, she moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where her second major novel, A Japanese Nightingale, was published. It proved extremely successful, being translated into several languages and eventually adapted both as a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
play and then, in 1919, as a motion picture. Her novel Tama
Tama
-Religion:* Tama , part of the soul in the Japanese Shinto faith, roughly equivalent to ghost, spirit, or soul* Tama , a votive deposit or ex-voto used in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
(1910) was a runaway bestseller and her novel Me, A Book of Remembrance, a thinly disguised memoir, told a titillating tale of a woman's infidelities.
While living in New York Winnifred Eaton met and married Bertrand Babcock, with whom she had four children (three sons and a daughter). The marriage ended in divorce, and in 1917 she married Francis Reeve. Moving to Calgary, Alberta in her native Canada, she continued to produce more successful novels until she returned to New York in 1924 to write screenplays for the burgeoning film industry. In 1932, she returned to Calgary, where she became an active member of the artistic community, founding the Little Theatre
Little Theatre
The Little Theatre in Rochester, New York, commonly known as "The Little" is a movie theatre located on historic East Avenue in downtown Rochester, New York and a modest non-profit multiplex specializing in art film, including independent and foreign productions outside the United States.Founded in...
movement and serving as the president of the Calgary branch of the Canadian Authors' Association.
In 1954, while returning home from a vacation in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Winnifred Eaton fell ill and died of heart failure in Butte, Montana. Following her death, her husband donated funds to build the Reeve Theatre at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
. A collection of her works is maintained at the Glenbow Archives in Calgary.
Partial bibliography
- His Royal Nibs (1925)
- Cattle (1923)
- Sunny-San (1922)
- Marion: The Story of an Artist's Model (1916)
- Me: A Book of Remembrance (1915)
- Chinese-Japanese Cook Book with Sara Eaton Bosse (1914)
- The Honorable Miss Moonlight (1912)
- Tama (novel) (1910)
- Diary of Delia (1907)
- Daughters of Nijo (1907)
- A Japanese Blossom (1906)
- The Love of Azalea (1904)
- The Heart of Hyacinth (1903)
- A Japanese Nightingale (1902)
- The Wooing of Wisteria (1902)
- Mrs. Nume of Japan (1899)
Adapted from the article Winnifred Eaton, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
GNU Free Documentation License
The GNU Free Documentation License is a copyleft license for free documentation, designed by the Free Software Foundation for the GNU Project. It is similar to the GNU General Public License, giving readers the rights to copy, redistribute, and modify a work and requires all copies and...
.
Biography:
- Onoto Watanna: The Story of Winifred Eaton by Diana Birchall (2001)
External links
- Winnifred Eaton Project: Essays from a conference and exhibit on Winnifred Eaton, Mount Allison University