Margaret Marshall Saunders CBE was born on April 13, 1861, and died on February 15, 1947. She was a Canadian author who wrote many children's stories and romance novels. She also gave lectures and worked to improve the treatment of animals. She was a member of the Local Council of Women of Halifax.
Early life
Saunders was born on April 13, 1861, in the village of Milton, Nova Scotia. She was one of four children born to Reverend Edmund M. and Maria (born as Freeman) Saunders. She spent most of her childhood in Berwick, Nova Scotia, where her father worked as a Baptist minister. At the age of 15, she studied in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Orleans, France. Later, she returned to Halifax, where she took classes at Dalhousie for one year before beginning her career as a freelance writer. She changed her name to Marshall Saunders in response to the male-dominated nature of the publishing industry.
Career
Saunders, a supporter of animal welfare, is best known for her book Beautiful Joe. The story is based on the real life of a dog from Meaford, Ontario. As a puppy, the dog suffered abuse when his ears and tail were cut off by an owner. He was later rescued by a family in Meaford, whose lives he later helped save. The book is written from the dog’s perspective and is often compared to Black Beauty, a similar story published a few years earlier.
In 1889, Saunders entered Beautiful Joe into a competition held by the American Humane Education Society. The contest focused on the kind and cruel treatment of domestic animals and birds in the northern United States. Saunders won a prize of $200. The book was published in 1893 and received worldwide attention. It became the first Canadian book to sell over one million copies. By the late 1930s, it had sold more than seven million copies worldwide. The book was also translated into many languages, including Esperanto.
After Beautiful Joe was published, Saunders, along with author Lucy Maud Montgomery, helped start the Nova Scotia branch of the Canadian Women’s Press Club. She later became the National Vice-President of the club’s Maritime branches.
Saunders wrote more than twenty other stories. Many of these works discussed important social issues, such as ending child labour, improving living conditions in poor neighborhoods, and creating better playgrounds for children. She also wrote newspaper articles about supervised playgrounds and other social topics for publications like the Halifax Morning Chronicle and the Toronto Globe. Saunders often gave speeches and was a member of several organizations, including humane societies. In 1914, she moved to 66 St. George Street in downtown Toronto. Later, she lived with her younger sister at 62 Glengowan Avenue. Her home was always filled with pets, including 28 canaries at one time. She often named her pets after the places where she found them, such as a pigeon named "38 Front Street" and a dog named "Johnny Doorstep."
In 1911, Saunders received an Honorary Master of Arts degree from Acadia University. In 1934, at the age of 73, she was honored as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). That same year, she also received a medal from the Société protectrice des animaux in Paris, France.
Death and legacy
Saunders died in 1947 in Toronto, Ontario, where she lived for many years. She is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto. In 1953, a plaque was placed by the Nova Scotia Site and Monuments Board near the location of her birth in Milton, Nova Scotia. The plaque was later moved to Tupper Park.
In 1994, the Beautiful Joe Heritage Society was created to honor the life of Beautiful Joe and Saunders’ accomplishments. A park dedicated to Beautiful Joe was built in Meaford, Ontario.