Nancy Luce, daughter of Philip Luce, was born on Martha's Vineyard in the early 19th century, although the exact date of her birth is disputed. Her family was of modest means and fought to make ends meet in the face of chronic illness. Philip Luce, it seems, was soon forced to sell off portions of the family farm to pay his debts. By the time she was a teenager, Nancy herself was embedded in this cycle of decline, struggling desperately to keep the farm going while caring for her ailing parents. Her life soon spiraled into an ordeal of loneliness and suffering after her parents died, as her own chronic health problems emerged. Thus deterred from pursuing opportunities to advance herself, she instead became a noted local eccentric. Through her "hen-elegies," the free verse she wrote about the female chickens she kept as household pets, Luce achieved a certain notoriety. As Martha's Vineyard became a summer resort in the late 19th century, her reputation spread off-island. She herself became an attraction for curious visitors, to whom she sold eggs, along with pictures of herself and copies of her poems. She published her first book of verse, entitled
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Nancy Luce papers, Ms. Luce, Brown University Library.
The Nancy Luce papers include a manuscript journal, homemade manuscript booklets of verse (some done in artistic penmanship), account books, bills, receipts, prescriptions, letters and graphic images (photographs, cutouts and a wood-block engraving of Luce holding two pet hens) created by Nancy Luce. The collection also includes various family papers dating from 1725, as well as additional materials (newspaper clippings, notes, correspondence and articles) that were later added to the collection by Benjamin C. Clough, Professor of English and Classics at Brown, who donated the collection to the University in 1964.
Nancy Luce died impoverished and was buried at the expense of the town of West Tisbury. To recover their costs, the town's Overseers of the Poor sold off Luce's personal belongings, including the old trunk in which she kept her papers and writings. The latter was purchased by Goodspeed's Bookshop in Boston, where it remained until Prof. Clough, himself a native of the Vineyard, purchased them in 1941. Clough did some research on Luce, culminating in an article he wrote for
The collection is divided into 6 series:
Items within the Nancy Luce papers and writings are ordered alphabetically by author of the letter for correspondence and ordered chronologically for her writings and other papers. The Luce family papers and Other papers are ordered chronologically. The Printed materials, Graphics, and Museum objects are in no defined order.
The Luce papers were a gift of Professor Benjamin C. Clough and Mr. Henry Beetle Hough in 1964.
At one time the library had a microfilm reel of this collection, but it is missing.
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Additional information on Nancy Luce may be found by consulting Walter M. Teller, Consider Poor I: The Life and Works of Nancy Luce (Edgartown, Massachusetts: Dukes County Historical Society, 1984).
Some additional manuscripts of Nancy Luce are held by the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
One "Petition and citation to be issued on Nancy Luce."
Pease, Richard L., Secretary to the Commisioners.
Unidentifiable.
Includes Bible readings.
With decorative calligraphy.
With decorative calligraphy.
With decorative calligraphy.
With decorative calligraphy.
With decorative calligraphy.
With decorative calligraphy.
White sheet with writing attached to brown paper with nails.
On wallpaper.
On wallpaper.
Nancy Luce's writing on the back.
Addressed to Anna Luce on reverse.
Article "Poor Nancy Luce" by Ben C. Clough found in this file and placed under printed materials.
Regarding Clough's manuscript, "Poor Nancy Luce."
In reference to Nancy Luce's trunk and two copies.