author
Helen Hay Whitney
1875–1944
A poet with a sharp eye for beauty and feeling, she also led a remarkably public life as a philanthropist and one of American racing’s notable breeders. Her writing and wide-ranging interests helped make her a distinctive cultural figure of the early 20th century.
5 Audiobooks
The Rose of Dawn: A Tale of the South Sea
by Helen Hay Whitney
Sonnets and Songs
by Helen Hay Whitney
Some Verses
by Helen Hay Whitney
Gypsy Verses
by Helen Hay Whitney
Herbs and Apples
by Helen Hay Whitney
About the author
Born Helen Julia Hay in 1875, she was the daughter of John Hay, the American statesman who served as Abraham Lincoln’s private secretary and later as Secretary of State. In 1902 she married Harry Payne Whitney, joining the prominent Whitney family of New York and becoming known in literary and social circles as Helen Hay Whitney.
She published several volumes of poetry and prose, building a reputation as a writer as well as a patron of the arts. Beyond literature, she was also deeply involved in thoroughbred racing and breeding, where she became an important owner in her own right.
Whitney’s life brought together art, philanthropy, and public influence in an unusual way. She died in 1944, but she is still remembered both for her writing and for the role she played in American cultural and sporting life.