Ruth Edna Kelley (April 8, 1893 – March 4, 1982) was an American librarian and writer. She is chiefly remembered for The Book of Hallowe'en (1919), the first book-length history of the holiday.[1]

Ruth Edna Kelly
At Radcliffe in 1914
At Radcliffe in 1914
Born(1893-04-08)April 8, 1893
Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedMarch 4, 1982(1982-03-04) (aged 88)
Marblehead, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationLibrarian, writer
EducationRadcliffe College
Years active1919–1947
The Book of Hallowe'en/The Witch of the Walnut-Tree

Biography

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Kelley was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on April 8, 1893, the only child of Charles F. Kelley, a carpenter, and his wife Mary. She grew up in Lynn, and received a master of arts degree in literature, magna cum laude, from Radcliffe College.[2]

The Book of Hallowe'en was Kelly's first book. Her second book, A Life of Their Own (1947), dealt with immortality and spirituality.

Kelley died in Marblehead, Massachusetts, at the age of 88.

References

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  1. ^ Winston, Sydnee (2017), Boo! The History of Halloween, National Women's History Museum
  2. ^ "The Book of the Class of 1914". Radcliffe College. June 1914. Retrieved May 3, 2023 – via Google Books.

Further reading

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  •   The full text of The Book of Hallowe'en at Wikisource
  • Who Was Who Among North American Authors, 1921-1939. Detroit: Gale Research, 1976.
  • Who's Who in Library Service: A Biographical Directory of Professional Librarians of the United States and Canada. Third edition. Edited by Dorothy Ethlyn Cole. New York: Grolier Society, 1955.
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