Based in Ontario, Flora MacDonald Denison was an avid suffrage journalist.
This author's life has been researched earlier for inclusion in the
Entry revised by Linnea McNally and Karyn Huenemann.
The sixth of eight children, Flora MacDonald Merrill was born just north of Bridgewater, North Hastings County, ON, to George A. Merrill (c1829-1897) and Elizabeth MacTavish Thompson (b. c1832). Perhaps on account of her father's unfortunate investments, Flora was educated at home. Despite early social and economic hardship, with the money she earned from teaching from the age fifteen, she was able to attend Picton Collegiate Institute and commercial school in Belleville and Toronto. After teaching in the Canadian "backwoods" as she called it, Flora moved to Detroit sometime in the mid-1880s, where she began work as a journalist with the
In the autumn of 1892, Harry and Flora returned to Toronto, where she worked as head of ladies' tailoring at the Robert Simpson Company. Building on her growing belief in women's rights, Flora began writing for
In 1904, the Denisons bought property on Mazinaw Lake, starting a long-standing family interest in the area that in 1965 became Bon Echo Provincial Park. In 1910, they were able to purchase the Bon Echo Inn, which they ran together until 1913, when their relationship began to dissolve.
In 1905, Flora had left her job to run her own successful dress-making business, which for the last two decades of her life supported other interests and allowed her to take up writing a weekly suffrage column for
Dedicated to women's concerns, Flora attended the International Women's Suffrage Alliance congresses in Budapest (1903) and Copenhagen (1906) as a delegate, and organized and served as president of the Canadian Suffrage Association in 1910. She also lectured for two years for the New York State Suffrage Association. In addition to her journalism and advocacy work, Flora published one novel,
The greatest passion of Flora's life seems to have been Walt Whitman. Her unconventional perspectives on spirituality and sexual freedom were inspired by the American poet, and alternately won supporters and critics wherever she went. She frequently hosted Whitmanite gatherings at her lakeside retreat, and as founder of The Whitman Club of Bon Echo, edited the group's six issues of
For a more detailed biography, see her entry in the
George A. Merrill was born in about 1829 in Prince Edward County, ON, to Mary Edwards Hale (1805-1874) and Samuel Merrill (c1800-1870). Mary was a descendant of New England Puritan preacher and Princeton University president Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758); the first lawyer in Picton, ON, Samuel was a descendant of United Empire Loyalist settlers from Connecticut. George's brother, Edwards Merrill (1841-1905) was Prince Edward County's judge for many years and father to two Canadian writers, Annie and Helen Merrill.
George was a schoolmaster at Picton Grammar School. He married Elizabeth MacTavish Thompson (b. c1832), with whom he had eight children. An unfortunate decision to leave his profession and to invest in a mining scam led to the loss of his wife's inheritance. A universalist and spiritualist, George died in 1897 in Hastings County, ON.
Elizabeth MacTavish Thompson, called "Eliza," was born in about 1832 in Ontario, to Flora MacDonald. Eliza, who became a schoolteacher, had extensive real estate holdings. Her inheritance, however, was lost when her husband invested in a fraudulent mining project.
Mary reportedly had psychic abilities and was the inspiration behind Flora's novel.
James was a wood turner. The day of his birth is known, but the year is uncertain.
Emily was a dressmaker.
William was a lawyer.
Howard Denison, called "Harry," was born in 1858 in New York, to Daniel Denison (1814-1899) and Jane Ann "Annie" Winchester (1822-1889). Harry married Annie (1858-1904), a German immigrant, some time before 1880. The couple lived in New York, where Harry was a clerk in a crockery store and Annie was a dressmaker. In 1885, they immigrated to Canada, setting in London, ON, where their three children were born: David in 1885, Frank in 1889, and Nelly in 1891.
Harry, at this point a travelling salesman, spent much time away from home. In Detroit at some point in the 1880s, he had met Flora Merrill (1867-1921). Despite being married, he entered into a marriage-like relationship with Flora in August 1892; she is listed as his wife in the 1901 census for Toronto, while Annie is listed as his wife on the 1901 census for London, ON. Although the couple moved to Toronto in 1893, Flora returned to Detroit to give birth to their son, Merrill, in order to secure him American citizenship.
Upon Annie's death in 1904, Harry was able to commit himself more fully to his relationship with Flora. Nonetheless, the relationship ended in 1914. No records regarding Harry's whereabouts after this point seem to be available.
Merrill was a well-known Canadian playwright.
School, Belleville, ON
Picton Collegiate Institute, Picton, ON
Commercial school, Toronto, ON
Businesswoman
Clothing designer and shop manager, Robert Simpson Company, Toronto, ON
Dressmaker, Nappanee, ON
Freelance reporter, Detroit, MI
Insurance salesperson
Journalist,
Real estate operator
Schoolteacher
Secretary, Detroit, MI
Honourary president, Social Reconstruction Group of the Toronto Theosophical Society
President, Canadian Suffrage Association
Secretary, Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association
Speaker, Canadian Labour Party
Progressive Thought Club
The Whitman Club of Bon Echo
A collection entitled