April 13: Birthday of Marguerite Henry (1902)
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who work with horses that provide recreation, entertainment, and therapy.
History Note
Marguerite Breithaupt was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 13, 1902. She was the youngest of five children of Louis and Anna Breithaupt. Louis owned a printing business. Marguerite was sick as a child and spent much time reading and writing. She sold her first story to the The Woman’s Home Companion when she was 12.
Marguerite attended Milwaukee State Teachers College for two years before marrying Sidney Crocker Henry in 1923. Marguerite became a professional author and published work in The Saturday Evening Post and Reader’s Digest.
Marguerite Henry connected with illustrator Wesley Dennis. Their first collaboration was Justin Morgan Had a Horse, published in 1945.
Henry heard about the wild ponies of Assateague Island in Virginia. She attended Pony Penning Day on Chincoteague Island and purchased a pony named Misty. Henry wrote a story about the horse, and Wesley Dennis illustrated Misty of Chincoteague, published in 1947. Misty lived with the Henrys in Illinois for ten years.
Marguerite Henry wrote many more books about horses and other topics. King of the Wind (1948) won the Newbery Medal.
Sidney and Marguerite Henry did not have children of their own, but Marguerite delighted in corresponding with her “book children” who wrote to her. She died in 1997 at the age of 95.
This 1949 image shows Misty the horse with author Marguerite Henry. Misty traveled to publicity events with Marguerite. Photo courtesy the American Library Association Archives.
Learn More
Watch this video about the inspiration behind Marguerite Henry’s book Misty of Chincoteague.
Explore more resources at Homeschool History.
