Checklist of Writings by Susan Fenimore Cooper

Hugh C. MacDougall, compiler

We express our thanks to Rochelle Johnson for permission to include materials from Rochelle Johnson and Daniel Patterson, eds., Susan Fenimore Cooper: New Essays on Rural Hours and other Works (University of Georgia Press, 2001), pp. 267-270, “Susan Fenimore Cooper’s Published Works in Chronological Order”.

[May be reproduced for instructional use by individuals or institutions; commercial use prohibited.]

Books, as Author

Elinor Wyllys

  • Elinor Wyllys. A Tale [anonymous]. London: Bentley, 1845 — 3 vols.
  • Elinor Wyllys: or, The Young Folk of Longbridge. A Tale. by Amabel Penfeather. Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1846 — 2 vols.

Rural Hours

  • New York: George P. Putnam, 1850 — “by a Lady”
  • London: Bentley, 1850 — 2 vols.
  • New York: Putnam, 1851 — “by a Lady” Illustrated edition
  • Philadelphia: Willis P. Hazard, 1854 — Illustrated edition
  • as Journal of a Naturalist in the United States. London: Bentley, 1855
  • New York: Putnam, 1868 — “with a new chapter”
  • New York: Putnam, 1876
  • Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, 1887 — “new and revised edition” [abridged by the author]. Online by month.
  • Syracuse University Press, 1968 [ed. by David Jones; reprint of 1887 ed.]
  • Syracuse University Press, paperback, 1995 [ed. by David Jones; reprint of 1887 ed.]
  • Georgia University Press, 1998 [ed. by Rochelle Johnson and Daniel Patterson from 1850 edition]

Mount Vernon: A Letter to the Children of America. By the Author of “Rural Hours,” Etc.

  • New York: D. Appleton, 1859

William West Skiles: A Sketch of Missionary Life at Valle Crucis in Western North Carolina, 1842-1862

  • New York: James Pott and Co., 1890
  • Valle Crucis, NC: Valle Crucis Conference Center, 1992 — facsimile

The Shield: A Narrative

[Advertised as “in press” in Memorial of James Fenimore Cooper (New York: G.P. Putnam, 1852), but no text ever located]

Books, as Editor

[John Leonard Knapp], Country Rambles in England; or Journal of a Naturalist. With Notes and Additions, by the Author of ‘Rural Hours’

  • Buffalo: Phinney & Co., 1853

The Rhyme and Reason of Country Life: or, Selections from Fields Old and New. By the Author of “Rural Hours”

  • New York: G.P. Putnam, 1854
  • New York: G.P. Putnam, 1855

Rural Rambles, or, Some Chapters on Flowers, Birds, and Insects. By a Lady.

[No positive evidence that she was editor, except for style, etc.]

  • Philadelphia: Willis P. Hazard, 1854

Pages and Pictures, from the Writings of James Fenimore Cooper with Notes by Susan Fenimore Cooper

[Excerpts from 25 novels, with introductions by SFC]

  • New York: W.A. Townsend, 1861
  • Secaucus: Castle Books, 1980 — facsimile of 1861 edition
  • The Cooper Gallery; or, Pages and Pictures from the Writings of James Fenimore Cooper New York: James Miller, 1865

Appleton’s Illustrated Almanac for 1870

[SFC listed as editor, but may have written the material as well]

  • New York: D. Appleton, 1869

Stories and Articles

Appleton’s Journal

  • “Otsego Leaves”:
    • “Birds Then and Now.” June 1878. (Vol. IV, No. 6) Online at University of Michigan.
    • “The Bird Mediæval.” Aug. 1878. (Vol. V, No. 2) Online at University of Michigan.
    • “The Bird Primeval.” Aug. 1878. (Vol. V, No. 3) Online at University of Michigan.
    • “A Road-Side Post-Office.” Dec. 1878. (Vol. V, No. 6) Online at University of Michigan.

Atlantic Monthly

  • “A Glance Backward.” February 1887. (Vol. 59, pp. 199-206) Online at Cornell University.
  • “A Second Glance Backward.” October 1887 (Vol. 60, pp. 474-86) Online at Cornell University.

Churchman: The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints

  • “Thoughts on Parish Life.” June 30, July 7,14 21,28, August 4,11,18,25, September 1,8,15,22,29, October 6,13,20 (1883).

Church-Yard Humming Bird

(Cooperstown, NY)

  • Lead article and six contributed items.

Freeman’s Journal, The

(Cooperstown weekly newspaper)

  • “Hospital Notice” May 29, 1868.
  • “The Orphanage Fund Pledged” May 4, 1888.
  • “An Outing on Lake Otsego” April 12 and 19, 1894. (Vol. 86.)

Graham’s Magazine

  • “The Lumley Autograph” By the Author of ‘Rural Hours,’ Etc. January - February 1851 (Vol. 38, pp. 31-36, 97-101).

Harper’s New Monthly Magazine

  • “Sally Lewis and Her Lovers” April 1859 (Vol. 18, pp. 644-53) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Female Suffrage: A Letter to the Christian Women of America” August-September 1870 (Vol. 41, pp. 438-46; 594-600) Part I, Part II Online at Cornell University.
  • “Two of My Lady-Loves” June 1872 (Vol. 45, pp. 129-33) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Rear-Admiral William Branford Shubrick” August 1876 (Vol. 53, pp. 400-407) Online at Cornell University. [reprinted as Rear-Admiral William Branford Shubrick: A Sketch (New York: 1877)]
  • “A Lament for the Birds” August 1893 (Vol. 87, pp. 472-74) Online at Cornell University.

Ladies’ Home Journal, The

  • “The Talent of Reading Wisely.” February 1892 (Vol. IX, no. 3, p. 18) Online at this website.

Living Church, The

(Episcopal Church Weekly, Chicago)

  • “Missions to the Oneidas” 15 parts. April 11, 18, 25, 1885; Feb. 20, 27, Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27, Apr. 10, 24, May 1, 15, 22, 29, June 5, 1886. Online at this website.

Magazine of American History

  • “The Hudson River and Its Early Names.” June 1880 (Vol. 4, pp. 401-18) Online at this website.
  • “Financial Condition of New York in 1833.” October 1889 (Vol. 22, pp. 328-30) [letter by James Fenimore Cooper] [Google Books]

Putnam’s Magazine

  • “Fragments [Leaves] from a Diary of James Fenimore Cooper” February 1868 (Vol. 1, pp. 167-72) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Passages [Leaves] from a Diary by James Fenimore Cooper” June 1868 (Vol. 1, pp. 730-37) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Bits” August 1868 (Vol. 2, pp. 145-148) Online at Cornell University.
  • “The Battle of Plattsburgh Bay: An Unpublished Manuscript of J. Fenimore Cooper” January 1869 (Vol. 3, pp. 49-59) Online at Cornell University.
  • “The Eclipse: From an Unpublished MS. of James Fenimore Cooper” September 1869 (Vol. 4, pp. 352-59) Online at University of Virginia. Online at Cornell University.
  • “Village Improvement Societies” September 1869 (Vol. 4, pp. 359-366) Online at this website. Online at Cornell University.
  • “The Magic Palace” February 1870 (Vol. 5, pp. 160-62) Online at Cornell University.
  • “The [Greenough’s] Chanting Cherubs” February 1870 (Vol.5, pp. 242-42) [letter to the editor] Online at this website. Online at Cornell University.
  • “Insect-Life in Winter” April 1870 (Vol. 5, pp. 424-27) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Madame Lafayette and Her Mother” August 1870 (Vol. 6, pp. 202-13) Online at Cornell University.

St. Nicholas: An Illustrated Magazine for Young Folks

  • “The Adventures of Cocquelicot. (A True History).” October 1881 (Vol. 8, pp. 942-46) Online at this website.
  • “The Cherry-Colored Purse. (A True Story).” January 1895 (Vol. 22, pp. 245-48) Online at this website.

In Anthologies, etc.

Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography

Ed. James Grant Wilson and John Fiske. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 6 vols., 1886-1889.

  • SFC listed as among the “chief contributors”.

The Home Book of the Picturesque: or, American Scenery, Art, and Literature

  • New York: G.P. Putnam, 1852
  • Gainesville: Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints, 1967 — facsimile of Putnam edition
  • as Home Authors and Home Artists; or American Scenery, Art and Literature. New York: Leavitt and Allen, 1852
  • “A Dissolving View” (pp. 79-84) Online at The Library of Congress.

Worthy Women of our First Century

Ed. Mrs. W.J. Wister and Miss Agnes Irwin (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1877

  • “Mrs. Philip Schuyler: A Sketch” (pp. 71-111) [Google Books]

Wide Awake Pleasure Book

  • Boston: D. Lothrop, 1879 (VIII, pp. 348-53)

Wonder Stories of History

  • Boston; D. Lothrop, 1886
  • Chicago & New York: The Werner Co., 1895
  • “The Wonderful Cookie: A True Story” Online at this website.

A Centennial Offering. Being A Brief History of Cooperstown, with a Biographical Sketch of James Fenimore Cooper.

Ed. by S.M. Shaw. (Cooperstown: Freeman’s Journal Office, 1886) Online at Cornell University.

  • “The Thanksgiving Hospital” (pp. 180-182) Online at Cornell University.
  • “Orphan House of the Holy Saviour” (pp. 182-184) Online at Cornell University.

Correspondence of James Fenimore Cooper

Ed. by James Fenimore Cooper [grandson] (Yale University Press, 1922, 2 vols.)

  • “Small Family Memories (1873)” (Vol. I, pp. 9-72) Online at this website.

Introductions

to Household Edition of the Works of James Fenimore Cooper  (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, and later editions)

Online at this website.

  • The Deerslayer (1876) — pp. xiii-xl
  • The Last of the Mohicans (1876) — pp. ix-xxxviii
  • The Pathfinder (1876) — pp. ix-xxxiv
  • The Pioneers (1876) — pp. xi-xxxvi
  • The Prairie (1876) — pp. ix-xxxii
  • Afloat and Ashore (1884) — pp. ix-xiv
  • Miles Wallingford (1884) — pp. vii-xvi
  • The Crater (1884) — pp. ix-xix
  • Jack Tier (1884) — pp.vii-xiv
  • The Pilot (1884) — pp. xii-xxiii
  • The Red Rover (1884) — pp xi-xxi
  • The Sea Lions (1884) — pp. xi-xxi
  • The Two Admirals (1884) — pp. ix-xvii
  • The Water-Witch (1884) — pp. ix-xxiii
  • The Wing-and-Wing (1884) — pp. ix-xviii