Marguerite Merington (1857 – May 20, 1951) was an English-born American author of short stories, essays, dramatic works, and biographies. Born in England and raised in New York, she taught Greek and Latin at the Normal College in New York before establishing herself as a successful playwright and librettist, best known for her popular play Captain Lettarblair (1892). Over the course of her career, she wrote additional dramatic works, edited the correspondence of George A. Custer and Elizabeth Bacon Custer, and lived primarily in New York State.
Early life and education
Marguerite Merington was born in Stoke Newington, England, in 1857, the daughter of Elizabeth and Richard Whiskin Crawford Merington (1827-1901), a clerk in the Bank of England. Her aunt was Martha Merington, a British politician, notable as the first woman to serve as a Poor Law Guardian.
In January 1869 she came with her parents to Buffalo, New York where she was educated at a convent. Even as a girl, she displayed dramatic talent, and often wrote and acted little parlor plays.
Career
For several years, she was instructor in Greek and Latin in the Normal College in New York. After resigning from this position, Merington pursued the career of a dramatic author. About 1889, E. H. Sothern proposed that Merington should write him a play, the leading character of which should be a captivating Irish gentleman. With a few suggestions from him, the play, Captain Lettarblair was written. Before it was performed, Joseph Jefferson, saw the manuscript and praised it highly. The play had a trial run at an authors' matinee in New York City, and was first presented August 16, 1892, at the Lyceum Theatre. Captain Lettarblair, produced by Daniel Frohman, brought in large audiences, was financially successful, and held a place in Sothern's repertoire.
