Anna Peyre Dinnies (nee Shackleford; pen name Moina; February 7, 1805 - August 8, 1886) was a 19th-century American poet and miscellaneous writer.^[1] Under the pen name of "Moina", both before and after her marriage, she wrote many poems which attracted attention, of which "Chrysanthemum" was one of the better-known. She contributed to the leading periodicals of the Southern United States.^[2]

Early life and education

Anna (or "Anne") Peyre Shackleford was born in Georgetown, South Carolina, February 7, 1805.^[3] She was one of the several daughters of Judge W. F. Shackleford.^[4]

The family moved to Charleston, South Carolina when Anna was a child.^[5] She was educated in that city in a seminary kept by the daughters of Dr. David Ramsay, the author and historian.^[6]

Career

Anna corresponded for four year with John C. Dinnies, a popular bookseller of St. Louis, Missouri before they met, and a week later, married in 1830.^[6][5] Mr. Dinnies and Mr. Radford were the publishers of The St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal, a monthly.^[6]

The Floral Year, Embellished with Bouquets of Flowers, Drawn and Colored from Nature. Each Flower illustrated with a Poem

In 1845,^[4] or 1849,^[6] Mr. and Mrs. Dinnies removed from St. Louis for New Orleans. In 1847, Mrs. Dinnies published The Floral Year, Embellished with Bouquets of Flowers, Drawn and Colored from Nature. Each Flower illustrated with a Poem. By Mrs. Anna Peyre Dinnies. Boston: Benjamin B. Mussy, Publisher, 1847. The book contains 256 pages, illustrated by 13 full-page colored plates.^[6]

Mrs. Dinnies lost her only child, a daughter, in 1853 and a few years later, adopted a little girl, who became Mrs. Louis Grunewald of New Orleans. In New Orleans, John Clifford Dinnies engaged in journalism. He wrote special articles for some of the daily newspapers, and for several years edited The Price Current. On account of an editorial, General Benjamin Butler suspended The Price Current during the civil war and had Mr. Dinnies imprisoned.^[6]

She published many poems in various magazines under the pen-name of Moina. Among her better poems are "The Wife", "Wedded Love",^[6] "Love's Messenger", "Carolina", a patriotic war-lyric, and "The Greek Skave", an imaginative interpretation of Powers' famous statue.^[7] As to the controversy over the authorship of "The Conquered Banner", Mrs. Dinnies, in the 1830s, adopted the pen name of Moina, using it for contributions to The Illinois Monthly Magazine. In the 1860s, Father Abram J. Ryan used the same pseudonym, unaware of Mrs. Dinnies' claim to it. "The Conquered Banner" was published under the signature Moina. The correspondence that took place between Mrs. Dinnies and Father Ryan was as to the use of the name Moina — not as to the authorship of "The Conquered Banner". Mrs. Dinnies never claimed the poem, and Father Ryan graciously apologized and neverused the signature Moina again.^[6]

Death

Mr. Dinnies died in 1882. Mrs. Dinnies died in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 8, 1886.^[3][8][9]

Selected works

References