Prentiss, Elizabeth Payson

PRENTISS, ELIZABETH PAYSON: American author; b. at Portland, Me., Oct. 26, 1818; d. at Dorset, Vt., Aug. 13, 1878. While a young girl she began to write for The Youth's Companion. In 1845 she was married to George Lewis Prentiss (q.v.), then just ordained as a pastor in New Bedford, Mass. She published more than twenty volumes, among which were the Little Susy Library (New York, 1854); The Flower of the Family (1854); Only a Dandelion and other Stories (1854); Fred, Maria, and Me (1867); The Little Preacher (1867); The Percys (1870); The Home at Greylock (1876); Pemaquid (1877); Avis Benson and Other Sketches (1879); and her most famous work, Stepping Heavenward (1869) these works had an enormous sale in America. Many of them were republished in Great Britain, and had a wide circulation there. The Flower of the Family, Stepping Heavenward, and several others, were translated into French and German. The latter made the strongest impression; it is estimated that more than 100,000 copies have been sold in America. She was the author also of the hymn, "More love to thee, O Christ."

Bibliography: G. L. Prentiss, Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss, New York, 1882, new ed., 1886; S. W. Duffield, Enqlish Hymns, p. 358, ib. 1886; Julian, Hymnology, p. 908.