A Complete Edition of the Works of Nancy Luce ...: Containing God's Words--Sickness--Poor Little Hearts--Milk--No Comfort--Prayers--Our Savior's Golden Rule--Hen's Names, Etc

by Nancy Luce

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

38 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1875

About the author

Nancy Luce (August 23, 1814 - April 9, 1890) was a poet and folk artist who lived in West Tisbury, Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard.

Luce was orphaned by her parents, Philip Luce and Anne Manter, in her late twenties and suffered a debilitating disease leaving her nearly homebound at the family farmhouse. She raised bantam hens to survive, often giving them fanciful names such as Ottee Ophete, Pondy Lilly and Letoogie Tickling. She wrote and self-published poetry pamphlets about her chickens and got professional portraits done of them and herself. Tourists would come to her cottage and small store on the property to visit with her and purchase keepsakes to bring home. As she buried her chickens on the property, her collection of chicken gravestones became its own tourist attraction. She was considered "one of the Island's most well-known historical figures."

When Luce died, the chicken gravestones were given to the town library. Luce herself is buried in the West Tisbury cemetery, where her marble gravestone is decorated with chickens.

Luce's chicken names live on in the names of chickens at the Los Angeles Zoo. Composer Thomas LaVoy is currently working on a commissioned choral piece based on her writings.[6] Vineyard artist Daniel Waters has created a series of linoleum block prints featuring Luce and her chickens.

Nancy Luce's manuscripts and other related material are at the John Hay Library at Brown University.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unable to find this particular book, but I was able to purchase the book within a larger 144 page volume titled "Consider Poor I, the Life and Works of Nancy Luce" by Walter Magnes Teller. I first heard of the poet Nancy Luce (1814-1890) in an email sent by artist/author Susan Branch who lives part of the year on Martha's Vineyard, where Nancy lived all her life. Nancy was a woman who found animals were better companions than people; most of her work deals with her animals and her physical pain and abuse by locals. You have to be intrigued with a woman who names her hens Teeddla Toonna, Lebootie Ticktuzy, Oick Cree, Fannysay Fainy, etc. Life was harsh for a woman alone in the 19th century. Although she worked very hard, she enjoyed more freedom than many women, plus she was educated in a time many women were not. Local lore suggests there was an early romance that haunted her - a young whaler who went down with the ship. The photo of Luce on the cover (one of the few ever taken) shows an older woman with a face that has endured heartbreak. I found myself wanting to learn more about Luce.