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Montgomery regularly contributed her writings to newspaper and magazine features.<ref name=”Bell-1999″ /> In 1910, she edited South Carolina [[Epworth League]] page in the ”[[Southern Christian Advocate]]” weekly newspaper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1910-06-21 |title=Article clipped from The Newberry Weekly Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-newberry-weekly-herald/183519421/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Newberry Weekly Herald |pages=7}}</ref> She claimed to have written a letter to the “Yankee” captain that “raided” Confederate Fort Randall near [[North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]].<ref name=”Bell-1999″ />

Montgomery regularly contributed her writings to newspaper and magazine features.<ref name=”Bell-1999″ /> In 1910, she edited South Carolina [[Epworth League]] page in the ”[[Southern Christian Advocate]]” weekly newspaper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1910-06-21 |title=Article clipped from The Newberry Weekly Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-newberry-weekly-herald/183519421/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Newberry Weekly Herald |pages=7}}</ref> She claimed to have written a letter to the “Yankee” captain that “raided” Confederate Fort Randall near [[North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]].<ref name=”Bell-1999″ />

Montgomery served as the South Carolina state director of the South Carolina Writers’ Project, a [[Federal Writers’ Project]] of the [[Works Progress Administration]] from 1935 until 1941, housed on the campus of the University of South Carolina.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Teal |first=Harvey S. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Partners_with_the_Sun/zW0KNfn_RjcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Mabel+Montgomery%22+Marion,+South+Carolina&pg=PA255&printsec=frontcover |title=Partners with the Sun: South Carolina Photographers, 1840-1940 |date=2001 |publisher=[[University of South Carolina Press]] |isbn=978-1-57003-384-1 |pages=255 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=”University of South Carolina Press-2023″>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5E-tEAAAQBAJ&dq=mabel.montgomery.south+carolina&pg=PR5 |title=South Carolina: The WPA Guide to the Palmetto State |date=February 24, 2023 |publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-64336-430-8 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1938 |title=Magazines Plan To Give Project Writers Space |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbia-record-magazines-plan-to-gi/183510165/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Columbia Record |pages=7 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=”The Greenville News-1935″>{{Cite news |date=November 27, 1935 |title=Miss Mabel Montgomery Is Visitor of Interest Here; Guest of Mr. and Mrs. Alford |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenville-news-miss-mabel-montgomer/183510370/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Greenville News |pages=12 |via=[[Newspaper.com]]}}</ref> [[Louise Jones DuBose]] served as her assistant director.<ref name=”University of South Carolina Press-2023″ /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mack |first=Tom |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zVHGBwAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PT112&dq=Louise%20Jones%20DuBose&pg=PT109#v=onepage&q=Louise%20Jones%20DuBose&f=false |title=The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to South Carolina Writers |date=January 30, 2014 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-61117-348-2 |language=en}}</ref> Together they authored ”South Carolina: A Guide to the Palmetto State” (1941). In the guidebook South Carolina’s black residents were featured in unflattering depictions described as “[[Minstrel show|minstrel]]-esque,” however Montgomery defended the writings and drew rebuke and alterations from her supervisor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sklaroff |first=Lauren Rebecca |title=Black Culture and the New Deal: the quest for civil rights in the Roosevelt era |date=2009 |publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]] |isbn=978-1-4696-1906-4 |location=Chapel Hill, NC}}</ref>

Montgomery served as the South Carolina state director of the South Carolina Writers’ Project, a [[Federal Writers’ Project]] of the [[Works Progress Administration]] from 1935 until 1941, housed on the campus of the University of South Carolina.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Teal |first=Harvey S. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Partners_with_the_Sun/zW0KNfn_RjcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Mabel+Montgomery%22+Marion,+South+Carolina&pg=PA255&printsec=frontcover |title=Partners with the Sun: South Carolina Photographers, 1840-1940 |date=2001 |publisher=[[University of South Carolina Press]] |isbn=978-1-57003-384-1 |pages=255 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=”University of South Carolina Press-2023″>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5E-tEAAAQBAJ&dq=mabel.montgomery.south+carolina&pg=PR5 |title=South Carolina: The WPA Guide to the Palmetto State |date=February 24, 2023 |publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-64336-430-8 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1938 |title=Magazines Plan To Give Project Writers Space |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbia-record-magazines-plan-to-gi/183510165/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Columbia Record |pages=7 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=”The Greenville News-1935″>{{Cite news |date=November 27, 1935 |title=Miss Mabel Montgomery Is Visitor of Interest Here; Guest of Mr. and Mrs. Alford |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenville-news-miss-mabel-montgomer/183510370/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |work=The Greenville News |pages=12 |via=[[Newspaper.com]]}}</ref> [[Louise Jones DuBose]] served as her assistant director.<ref name=”University of South Carolina Press-2023″ /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mack |first=Tom |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zVHGBwAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PT112&dq=Louise%20Jones%20DuBose&pg=PT109#v=onepage&q=Louise%20Jones%20DuBose&f=false |title=The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to South Carolina Writers |date=January 30, 2014 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-61117-348-2 |language=en}}</ref> Together they authored ”South Carolina: A Guide to the Palmetto State” (1941). In the guidebook South Carolina’s black residents were featured in unflattering depictions described as “[[Minstrel show|minstrel]]-esque,” however Montgomery defended the writings drew rebuke and alterations from her supervisor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sklaroff |first=Lauren Rebecca |title=Black Culture and the New Deal: the quest for civil rights in the Roosevelt era |date=2009 |publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press]] |isbn=978-1-4696-1906-4 |location=Chapel Hill, NC}}</ref>

While working at the Federal Writers’ Project she took local photographs, which include a cotton house on [[Highway 21 (South Carolina)|highway 21]], and [[cotton]] farming scenes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cotton house near Highway 21 in S.C. |url=https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/wpaplp/id/670 |website=University of South Carolina University Libraries |publisher=University of South Carolina}}</ref><ref name=”Umbra”>{{Cite web |title=Creator: Montgomery, Mabel (photographer) / Keyword: Edisto Island (Sc) – Umbra Search Results Search African American History |url=https://umbrasearch.org/catalog.html?f%5Bcreator_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Montgomery,+Mabel+(photographer)&f%5Bkeywords_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Edisto+Island+(Sc)&per_page=10&sort=creator_display_ssi+asc,+title_ssort+asc&view=list |website=Umbra Search African American History}}</ref> Many of her photos can be found in a collection at the South Caroliniana Library at University of South Carolina.<ref name=”Umbra” />

While working at the Federal Writers’ Project she took local photographs, which include a cotton house on [[Highway 21 (South Carolina)|highway 21]], and [[cotton]] farming scenes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cotton house near Highway 21 in S.C. |url=https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/wpaplp/id/670 |website=University of South Carolina University Libraries |publisher=University of South Carolina}}</ref><ref name=”Umbra”>{{Cite web |title=Creator: Montgomery, Mabel (photographer) / Keyword: Edisto Island (Sc) – Umbra Search Results Search African American History |url=https://umbrasearch.org/catalog.html?f%5Bcreator_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Montgomery,+Mabel+(photographer)&f%5Bkeywords_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Edisto+Island+(Sc)&per_page=10&sort=creator_display_ssi+asc,+title_ssort+asc&view=list |website=Umbra Search African American History}}</ref> Many of her photos can be found in a collection at the South Caroliniana Library at University of South Carolina.<ref name=”Umbra” />

Latest revision as of 22:29, 23 October 2025

American writer (1879–1968)

Mabel Montgomery
Born

Annie Mable Montgomery

(1879-10-19)October 19, 1879
Died November 17, 1968(1968-11-17) (aged 89)

Marion, South Carolina, U.S.
Resting place Old Town Cemetery,
Marion, South Carolina, U.S.
Occupation(s) Writer, children’s book author, photographer, clubwoman
Father William Joseph Montgomery

Annie Mabel Montgomery, commonly known as Mabel Montgomery (October 19, 1879 – November 17, 1968) was an American writer, photographer and clubwoman in South Carolina. She served as the South Carolina director of the Federal Writers’ Project, housed at the University of South Carolina. Montgomery authored several works, including the children’s book David’s Fishing Summer (1953).

Early life and education

[edit]

Mabel Montgomery was born on October 19, 1879, in Marion, South Carolina to parents Annie Stackhouse (1857–1927) and William Joseph Montgomery (commonly known as W. J. Montgomery; 1851–1913).[1] Her father was a lawyer, bank president, the mayor of Marion in 1891, and also served multiple terms in the South Carolina House of Representatives, and in the South Carolina Senate.[2][3] Her former childhood home “The Grove” (1893) at 408 Harlee Street, was listed in 1973 by the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Marion Historic District.[4][5][6]

Montgomery graduated from Winthrop College, and Columbia College.[1] Additionally she attended courses at Columbia University.[1]

Mabel spent many summers in the 1920s with her sister Belle Montgomery Tilghman and brother-in-law Horace Tilghman Sr. at their plantation house in Tilghman Point in Little River Neck area of North Myrtle Beach.[2][7] She was an artist-in-residence at MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire.[1]

Montgomery regularly contributed her writings to newspaper and magazine features.[2] In 1910, she edited South Carolina Epworth League page in the Southern Christian Advocate weekly newspaper.[8] She claimed to have written a letter to the “Yankee” captain that “raided” Confederate Fort Randall near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.[2]

Montgomery served as the South Carolina state director of the South Carolina Writers’ Project, a Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration from 1935 until 1941, housed on the campus of the University of South Carolina.[9][10][11][12] Louise Jones DuBose served as her assistant director.[10][13] Together they authored South Carolina: A Guide to the Palmetto State (1941). In the guidebook South Carolina’s black residents were featured in unflattering depictions described as “minstrel-esque,” however Montgomery defended the writings, which drew rebuke and alterations from her supervisor.[14]

While working at the Federal Writers’ Project she took local photographs, which include a cotton house on highway 21, and cotton farming scenes.[15][16] Many of her photos can be found in a collection at the South Caroliniana Library at University of South Carolina.[16]

Montgomery served on the Marion Methodist Board of Stewards.[17] She led the church’s primary department for 30 years. Montgomery was on the local school board in Marion, and also served on the first South Carolina board for literacy.[12][18]

She also established a local newsletter for soldiers during World War II, called Marion Mail;[2] and helped establish in 1910 the South Carolina Industrial School for Boys (also called South Carolina Industrial School for White Boys) in Florence, South Carolina, an early private juvenile reformatory institution led by trustees.

Montgomery led the South Carolina Federation of Women’s Clubs‘ student loan fund, where she served as vice president.[12][19]

She died at age 89 after a long illness on November 17, 1968, in Marion.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e “Mabel Montgomery Dies, Marion Church, Civic Leader”. Florence Morning News (Obituary). November 19, 1968. p. 2. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bell, C. B. (April 3, 1999). “Marion woman had part in recording S.C.’s history”. Sun-News. p. 31. Retrieved October 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ “The Grove, Marion, South Carolina”. City of Marion, South Carolina. February 27, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  4. ^ “The Grove, Marion, South Carolina”. City of Marion, South Carolina. February 27, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  5. ^ “National Register Properties in South Carolina: Marion Historic District, Marion County (Marion)”. South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH). Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  6. ^ “National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Marion Historic District”. National Park Service. Retrieved October 22, 2025. With accompanying pictures
  7. ^ “Thomas Randall’s Plantation – Little River, Horry County, South Carolina”. South-Carolina-Plantations.com. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  8. ^ “Article clipped from The Newberry Weekly Herald”. The Newberry Weekly Herald. June 21, 1910. p. 7. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  9. ^ Teal, Harvey S. (2001). Partners with the Sun: South Carolina Photographers, 1840-1940. University of South Carolina Press. p. 255. ISBN 978-1-57003-384-1.
  10. ^ a b South Carolina: The WPA Guide to the Palmetto State. Univ of South Carolina Press. February 24, 2023. ISBN 978-1-64336-430-8 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ “Magazines Plan To Give Project Writers Space”. The Columbia Record. May 13, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved October 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c “Miss Mabel Montgomery Is Visitor of Interest Here; Guest of Mr. and Mrs. Alford”. The Greenville News. November 27, 1935. p. 12. Retrieved October 23, 2025 – via Newspaper.com.
  13. ^ Mack, Tom (January 30, 2014). The South Carolina Encyclopedia Guide to South Carolina Writers. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-61117-348-2.
  14. ^ Sklaroff, Lauren Rebecca (2009). Black Culture and the New Deal: the quest for civil rights in the Roosevelt era. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-4696-1906-4.
  15. ^ “Cotton house near Highway 21 in S.C.” University of South Carolina University Libraries. University of South Carolina.
  16. ^ a b “Creator: Montgomery, Mabel (photographer) / Keyword: Edisto Island (Sc) – Umbra Search Results Search African American History”. Umbra Search African American History.
  17. ^ The Survey. Survey Associates. July 15, 1927. p. 402.
  18. ^ Ogden, Mary Macdonald (December 30, 2015). Wil Lou Gray: The Making of a Southern Progressive from New South to New Deal. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-61117-569-1 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ “Full Program Out For Meeting”. The State. April 7, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved October 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Teal, Harvey S. (August 25, 2001). Partners with the Sun: South Carolina Photographers, 1840-1940. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-57003-384-1 – via Google Books.
  21. ^ ACL Reviews (Review). Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California. 1953. p. 4.
  22. ^ Principals National Association of Secondary School (U.S.) (1954). Bulletin (Obituary). National Association of Secondary School Principals. p. 258.
  23. ^ The Publishers Weekly. Vol. 164. F. Leypoldt. 1953. p. 281.
  24. ^ “Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1960”. 1961.

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