Emily Chubbuck Judson

Teacher, Author and Poet

Emily Chubbuck Judson ( 1817– 1854) was an American poet who wrote under the pseudonym Fanny Forrester. Born to poor parents in Eaton, New York, she had to work and in 1834 became a teacher.  This was about the same time that she joined a Baptist church and in 1840 entered the Utica female seminary where she  wrote her first book, Charles Linn, a year later.

She also developed a literary friendship with Nathaniel Parker Willis, author of Canadian Scenery, who she described as the foster-father of her intellect. Willis and Chubbuck first corresponded in June 1844 after her failed attempt at writing children's stories. She was published in Willis's New York Mirror, opening the door for contributions to other journals including The Columbian and Graham's Magazine. However, she was known in the literary world under the pen name Fanny Forrester. She met Adoniram Judson in December 1845 and they were married on June 22, 1846. On July 11, 1846, they sailed from Boston to Burma where Judson had been a missionary for many years. Their daughter Sarah was born in 1847 and a son Charles was born and died on the same day in 1850; three weeks after Judson's death at sea. After learning of his death, Chubbuck returned in poor health to the United States in 1851. She collected materials for Judson's biography that was written by Francis Wayland, then resumed writing herself. Chubbuck died of consumption in Hamilton, New York on June 1, 1854.

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