Louise Clappe (née, Smith; July 28, 1819 – 1906) was an American writer, best known for her "Shirley Letters."
[2] Her father Moses Smith, graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts in the year of 1811, and he once had the responsibility of being in charge of a local academy.
There is some speculation that her parents might be cousins, for both Moses' mother and wife shared the same maiden name (Lee).
Born in June 1824 in Chesterfield, Massachusetts, Fayette Clappe was five years younger than Louise.
While the two separated around that time and Fayette headed back East, their marriage did not officially end until some years later.
Their first year in California was spent living in San Francisco and Plumas, which was located near Marysville in the north-central part of the state.
Fayette was elected as a delegate to a political nominating convention and was also chosen to serve on a committee protesting the tactics of agents hired to help the incoming immigrant wagon trains from across the Plains.
Her letters were described as being both witty and disturbing, while giving insight into California mining life.
[8] In her twelfth letter, Louise claims that she wants to give the true picture of mining life, and she did so from a distinctly female perspective.
[4] Some writers, such as Marlene Smith-Bargaining believe that Shirley never intended for her letters to be private, but instead wrote them for a more public audience.
Going with the theme of the Herald, Louise's letters came off as sounding fake and had an artificial feel to them.
[2] While Louise was staying in San Francisco, she made the acquaintance of Ferdinand C. Ewer, who printed her Shirley Letters in his new periodical, The Pioneer in 1854–1855.
She resumed her writing in 1881 when a periodical at Hellmuth Ladies' College at London, Ontario published a series of her articles under her Shirley name.
[2] Clappe's Shirley Letters were made into a 2017 opera, Girls of the Golden West.