Merab Eberle

Merab Eberle (February 2, 1891 — October 31, 1959) was an American journalist and a writer in several genres, including science fiction and children's plays.

Merab Eberle, from a 1959 publication.

Early life

Merab Shipley Eberle was born in Mattoon, Illinois, the daughter of Homer J. Eberle, a railroad employee, and Olive Rossman Eberle. Her paternal grandfather, Jacob Kauffman Eberle (1824-1902), was a medical doctor. She had the same three names as her paternal grandmother, Merab Shipley Eberle (1826-1888).[1]

Merab Eberle attended Oxford College in Ohio,[2] graduating with honors in 1916.[3]

Career

Plays by Eberle included The Maydew Charm (1918, a fantasy play for May Day children's events),[4] Bobby in Belgium: A Junior Red Cross Play (1918),[5] Capt. Anne of the Red Cross: A Red Cross Comedy for Girls (1918),[6] and The Spirit of Democracy: An Allegorical Pageant (1917).[7] Stories by Merab Eberle included "The Mordant" (Amazing Stories, 1930) and "The Thought Translator" (Wonder Stories, 1930).[8][9]

She also wrote poetry,[10][11] and won a prize for her poem "Prayer" in 1930.[12] "Prayer" later became a church hymn.[13] She won another prize for a historical ballad, in 1944.[14] A collection of her poetry, Many Doors, was published posthumously in 1961.[2]

She was a member of the Dayton Women's Club and the Ohio Newspaper Women's Association.[12] From 1930 to 1959,[15] she was a reporter, arts editor and book reviewer for The Dayton Journal Herald.[2][16] Among the newspaper contributors under her editorial guidance was cartoonist Milton Caniff.[15] "She gave richly of herself, her time and talent in promoting the cause of all the arts in her long career as art, music, and book editor of the Journal Herald", recalled the Dayton Art Institute in a statement after she died. "Her distinctive style enhanced all of her writings, and her deep love, understanding, and compassion for all of the arts helped promote the cause of art in Dayton as few other people have been able to do."[17]

Personal life

Merab Eberle died from a heart attack in 1959, aged 68 years, in Dayton, Ohio.[18] She had worked late at the newspaper until a few hours before she died.[15] Her gravesite is with her parents' graves, in Franklin, Ohio.

References
  1. "1870s Dr. Jacob Kauffman Eberle CDV Photo, Pana, IL (Marab Shipley)" Ancestorville.
  2. Eric Leif Davin, Partners in Wonder: Women and the Birth of Science Fiction, 1926-1965 (Lexington Books 2006): 380. ISBN 9780739112670
  3. Catalogue (Oxford College for Women 1917): 33, 96.
  4. Merab Eberle, The Maydew Charm (Eldridge Entertainment House 1918).
  5. Merab Eberle, Bobby in Belgium (Eldridge Entertainment House 1918).
  6. Merab Eberle, Capt. Anne of the Red Cross: A Red Cross Comedy for Girls (Eldridge Entertainment House 1918).
  7. Merab Eberle, The Spirit of Democracy: An Allegorical Pageant (Eldridge Entertainment House 1917).
  8. Merab Eberle, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (August 11, 2018).
  9. Everett Franklin Bleiler, Science-fiction, the Early Years (Kent State University Press 1990): 657-658. ISBN 9780873384162
  10. Merab Eberle, "Prayer" The North American Review 230(4)(October 1930): 452. via JStor
  11. Merab Eberle, "With Yesterday" The Poetry Review (1936): 371.
  12. "Herald Critic Wins Poetry Prize" Dayton Herald (October 11, 1930): 4. via Newspapers.com
  13. "Merab Eberle, J-H Writer, Dies at 68" Dayton Daily News (October 31, 1959): 8. via Newspapers.com
  14. "Merab Eberle Wins Award in Ballad Contest" Dayton Herald (December 26, 1944): 6. via Newspapers.com
  15. "Merab Eberle Services Will Be Held Today" Journal Herald (November 2, 1959): 10. via Newspapers.com
  16. R. C. Harvey, Meanwhile...: A Biography of Milton Caniff, Creator of Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon (Fantagraphics Books 2007): 324. ISBN 9781560977827
  17. "City Art Institute Pays Tribute to Merab Eberle" Journal Herald (November 25, 1959): 23. via Newspapers.com
  18. "Miss Merab Eberle" New York Times (November 3, 1959): 31.
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