Keep Me Close to Thee

Author: Laura E. Newell

Born: Feb­ru­a­ry 5, 1854, New Marl­bo­rough, Con­nec­ti­cut. Died: Oc­to­ber 13, 1916, Man­hat­tan, Kan­sas. Daughter of Mr. and Edward A. Pixley, but orphaned as an infant, Laura was adopted by her aunt, then Mrs. Hiram Mabie, who at the time lived in New York. In 1858, the Mabie family moved to a farm south of where Wamego, Kansas, now stands. Two years after the move, Mr. Mabie died, and his wife resumed teaching. In 1860, Mrs. Mabie accepted a position in Topeka, Kansas, where she taught many years. Under her tutelage, Laura received her education. As early as age 12, Laura was writing rhymes, and two years later her poems began to appear in local newspapers. She had no thought of a literary career; she simply wrote… Go to person page >