Catharine H. Esling

Catharine H. Esling (April 12, 1812 - April 6, 1897) was an American author and poet who contributed to the periodical literature,^[1] as well as a hymn writer.

Biography[]

Catharine (sometimes misspelled "Catherine") Harbison Waterman (sometimes misspelled "Watterman") was born in Philadelphia, April 12, 1812.^[2] Under her maiden name, she became known as an author in various periodicals. Her first published pieces appeared in the New York Mirror. She has since contributed to the Annuals, and to Graham's and Godey's Magazine.^[3][4] She wrote hymns, such as "Come Unto Me", which were published in an annual called The Christian Keepsake (1839).^[5] She also stated that her hymns never would have been published but for her mother.^[6] In 1841, she edited a volume, Friendship's Offering for 1842.^[7] In 1850, her poems were collected and published under the title, The Broken Bracelet and Other Poems.^[8]

In 1840, she married Captain George J. Esling, of her native city, who was serving in the Merchant Marine. She resided from that date until in 1844, at Rio de Janeiro, after which she returned to Philadelphia.^[3][4][8] In her later years, she gave up writing. In 1883 her husband died in Philadelphia. She lived with a daughter, and was survived by three sons.^[6] She was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia,^[8] she died April 6 in Camden, 1897.^[2] Interment was at Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia.^[9]

Selected works[]

Books

• The Broken Bracelet and Other Poems, 1850
• The Book of parlour games : comprising explanations of the most approved games for the social circle, viz. games of motion, attention, memory, mystification and fun, gallantry and wit, with forfeits, penalities, etc., 1853
• Flora's lexicon : an interpretation of the language and sentiment of flowers : with an outline of botany, and a poetical introduction by Catharine H. Waterman, 1857

Hymns^[10]

• "Come sons of Columbia, while proudly and high"
• "Come unto me when shadows darkly gather"
• "Father, a weary heart hath come"

Edited volume

• Friendship's Offering for 1842, 1841

References[]

Attribution[]

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Griswold, Rufus Wilmot (1849). The Female Poets of America. Carey and Hart.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: May, Caroline (1858). The American Female Poets: With Biographical and Critical Notices (Public domain ed.). Lindsay & Blakiston.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Nutter, Charles Sumner; Tillett, Wilbur Fisk (1911). The Hymns and Hymn Writers of the Church: An Annotated Edition of the Methodist Hymnal (Public domain ed.). Methodist Book Concern. ISBN 978-0-524-03076-9.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Read, Thomas Buchanan (1849). The Female Poets of America: With Portraits, Biographical Notices, and Specimens of Their Writings (Public domain ed.). E. H. Butler & Company.
• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Sunderland, Jabez Thomas; Herford, Brooke; Mott, Frederick B. (1888). The Unitarian. 3 (Public domain ed.). Proprietors.

External links[]

• Works by or about Catharine H. Esling at Internet Archive