Edith O’Shaughnessy letters (RLC.Ms.529)

Biographical note

Edith Louise (Coues) O’Shaughnessy (1870-1939) was an author and journalist who wrote about her experiences abroad as the wife of Nelson O’Shaughnessy (1876-1932), an Oxford educated lawyer and diplomat. From 1901 to 1915, Edith followed her husband on his diplomatic duties throughout Europe, Mexico, and South America. After Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s diplomatic service in Mexico City, Mexico, from 1911-1914, Edith published her first book, A Diplomat’s wife in Mexico, in 1916. In this book, Mrs. O’Shaughnessy covered the dramatic period between October 1913 and April 1914, when diplomatic relations were broken between the United States and Mexico and the dictator, Victoriano Huerta, was in power. Edith went on to publish six more books and also contributed articles to many periodicals including Harper’s Magazine. Edith O’Shaughnessy died on February 18, 1939, in New York, New York.