Krout - Mary Hannah - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Crawfordsville, Ind June 2 – Mary Hannah Krout, 69, Indiana author and journalist is dead here. After the death of her friend and neighbor, General Lew Wallace, Miss Krout completed his works from his notes. Her poem, Little Brown Hands, was included in most school readers a few decades ago.-transcribed by kbz

Source: Indianapolis Star Wed 1 June 1927 p 1

Crawfordsville, Ind May 31 - Mary Hannah Krout, famed Indiana author and journalist died at her home here this afternoon following an extended illness. Miss Krout was born in this city Nov 3, 1857 the daughter of Robert and Caroline Brown Krout. Following her graduation from school she taught in Montgomery County schools for several years and in 1880 first took up journalism become associate editor of the Crawfordsville Journal in 1882 she became editor of the Terre Haute Express. She then joined the old Chicago Inter-Ocean and for many years was a staff correspondent of that paper in forien fields, spending much time in Australia, hawaii, China and England. In addition to being on the staff of the Chicago Inter-Ocean and the New York Tribune, her articles were syndicated to many of the larger papers of the US.  She contributed many articles to the Indianapolis Star. Returning to this country in 1900 she became a member of the Denver Times staff, later resigning to lecture on foreign countries, both in the US and in Australia.  She then retired to her home here and began writing the books and poetry for which she is best know. Her first poem, LIttle Brown Hands was published in all the school readers of the late 19th century and first attracted attention to her. Her best-known books are Hawaii and Revolution, Alice in the Hawaiian Islands, A Looker-on in London, Memoirs of Lew Wallace, Memoirs of Hon. Bernice Pauaki Bishop, Platters and Pipkins, The Eleventh Hour, and Two Girls in China. She also wrote numerous magazine articles, the best-known being a serial published in the Advance entitled, The Coign of Vantage.  She also edited a volume, Perry's Expedition to Japan, for the US Naval Records.  Miss Krout had a wide acquaintance among leading diplomats, statemen and rulers of foreign countries during the late 19th century. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Hawaiaan historical Society, Chicago WOmen's Club and San Dringham Club of London. Having inherited from her parents and grandparents strong convictions on the inequality of women before the law, at a very early age she spoke and wrote constantly for the enfranchisement of women and for the broadening of their education and economic opportunities. Of this phase of her work the late Mary A. Livermore said many years afterward: "I attended a suffrage convention held in Crawfordsville and when Mary Krout was announced to speak I was astounded to see a fragile little girl with short hiar and short skirts come forward and make a very logical and carefully prepared address.

Miss Krout also inherited from a long line of ancestors an inextinguishable goal in the cause of liberty and universal enlightenment. She owes her German name to Michael Krout, a political refugee from Saxony who settled on the plantation near Columbus SC and hwo, when his house was burned and his cattle and horses driven away by the British, entered the Federal Army with his five sons and sacrificed his life to the American cause in the massacre of Gen. Ashe's command at Brier Creek. Other revolutionary forefathers were John VanCleave, who with his sons, left his harvest field and joined the American forces in the battle of Monmouth, remaining in the service until the close of the war; John John, who enlisted at the beginning of the struggle and served under Washington, being given charge of the millat Valley Forge and George Brown of Virginia, who raised and equipped a company of soldiers at his own expense and went to the relief of the American forces at the battle of Yorktown. Her family since then served in later wars, earning distinction in the US Army and Navy and was also represented in various legislative bodies.

She is survived by one brother, Robert Krout of Crawfordsville and four sisters, Miss Caroline, Miss Jane, Miss Roberta of this city and Mrs. Harry Scars of Washington.  

Meredith Nicholson in tribute to Miss Krout said last night: "Miss Krout was one of the most remarkable women we have had in Indiana. My acquaintance with her goes back to my youth and during the period when she was engaged actively in newspaper work I knew her quite intimately.  She acquired fame early in her life by writing when still a schoolgirl a poem called Little Brown Hands which was widely popular and for a considerable period was in the best school readers.  It is very difficult to do justice to Miss Krout's splendid qualities and the variety of her work in a few words. Her journalistic achievements were brilliant.  She was connected with the CHicago Inter Ocean and had many important assignments from that journal. During the campaign in which Gen. Harrison was elected to the presidency she was sent here to cover local political news, working against the best correspondents in the country.

She traveled widely and wrote several books, including interesting comments on England and the capitals of the continent and her journeys included a trip to Australia and the South Sea Islands. One of her achievements was the interviewing of Robert Louis Stevens at Samoa.  Miss Krout was a thorough-going Hoosier and connected by blood with several of the oldest and most distinguished families of the state. She was a very charming and delightful companion and her death will be deeply regretted by a very wide circle of admirning friends. She was an intimate friend of Gen. and Mrs. Lew Wallace and their old-time neighbor in Crawfordsville. When Gen. Wallace died leaving unfinishe dhis memoirs, Miss Krout finished his book from the general's notes."