Alma Frances McCollum Linnea McNally Daryn Wright Canada's Early Women Writers Canadian Writing Research Collaboratory Born digital English Born digital Life writing Biography Bibliography Alma Frances McCollum (1879-1906) 
Image from Edward S. Caswell, ed., Canadian Singers and Their Songs: A Collection of Portraits, Autograph Poems and Brief Biographies, 3rd ed. (Toronto: McClelland Stewart, 1925).

At the time of her early death, Alma Frances McCollum was a promising Toronto poet whose work had appeared in several periodicals and one volume of verse.

 7 December 1879, near Chatham, ON 21 March 1906, Toronto, ON Name at birth: Alma Frances McCollum Note

This author’s life has been researched earlier for inclusion in the <XREF URL="http://digital.lib.sfu.ca/ceww-collection" RESP="KME">Canada’s Early Women Writers</XREF> project at Simon Fraser University. Information in this entry therefore may not be comprehensive, but has been verified.

Entry revised by Linnea McNally and Daryn Wright

 Alma Frances McCollum (1879-1906)

Alma McCollum was just beginning to realize her potential as a poet and composer when she died at the age of 27 as the result of an operation.

After graduating from the Collegiate Institute at Peterborough, Alma studied at the Toronto Presbyterian Ladies' College and in Cambridge, MA. She further refined her musical training at the School of Expression in the Toronto Conservatory of Music, and wrote plays for children. The decorative nature lyrics and light comic poems of her Flower Legends and Other Poems (1902) won the admiration of the Toronto literary community, including Ethelwyn Wetherald, Jean Blewett, and J.W. Garvin.

 Published Texts Poetry Flower Legends and Other Poems (Toronto: Briggs, 1902) Periodical Contributions The Canadian Magazine (Toronto) The Globe (Toronto) Other Publications Anthologized in: Campbell, Wilfred, ed. <XREF URL="https://archive.org/details/oxfordbookofcana00campuoft" RESP="KME">Oxford Book of Canadian Verse</XREF> (Toronto: Oxford UP, 1913). Caswell, Edward S., ed. Canadian Singers and Their Songs: A Collection of Portraits, Autograph Poems and Brief Biographies 3rd ed. (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1925). Garvin, John W., ed. <XREF URL="https://archive.org/details/canadianpoets00garv" RESP="KME">Canadian Poets</XREF>, 1st ed. (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1916). Garvin, John W., ed. Canadian Verse for Boys and Girls (Toronto: Nelson, 1930). Whyte-Edgar, Mrs. C.M., ed. <XREF URL="https://archive.org/details/wreathofcanadian00whyt" RESP="KME">A Wreath of Canadian Song: Containing Biographical Sketches and Numerous Selections from Deceased Canadian Poets</XREF> (Toronto: Briggs, 1910). Other Artistic Productions Music

Composer of operettas

 Family and Relationships Father: Edward Lee McCollum (1826 – 22 January 1887)

Edward Lee McCollum was born in Ireland in 1826. He married Mary Ann Sharpe (1833-1919) and they had six children. Edward died young, leaving his wife to care for their children.

 Mother: Mary Ann Sharpe (6 October 1833 – 14 September 1919)

Mary Ann Sharpe was born in Ireland in 1833. She married Edward Lee McCollum (1826-1887) with whom she had six children. After he died in 1887, while their youngest daughter was still a child, Mary moved the family to Peterborough, ON. They continued to live there until 1905, when Mary purchased a house in Toronto. Later in life, Mary and two daughters lived in Bellingham, WA, where she died in 1919.

 Siblings Mary Jane McCollum (b. 31 December 1855) Maggie E. McCollum (b. 1858) Victoria Ellen McCollum (1861 – 15 September 1921): m. Charles Alexander Dusenberry (1866-1936) Mary A. McCollum (c1864 – 24 February 1934) Alice M. McCollum (b. c1870) Residences

near Chatham, ON (1879-c1887)

Peterborough, ON (c1887-c1905)

Toronto, ON (c1905-1906)

 Education

Collegiate Institute at Peterborough

Toronto Presbyterian Ladies' College

Cambridge

School of Expression, Toronto Conservatory of Music

 Awards Employment and Volunteer Activities Archival Holdings Published Resources 1891 Census of Canada. Alma Frances McCollum. A Celebration of Women Writers. Web. 25 April 2017. Edward McCollum. Find a Grave. Web. 25 April 2017. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Fanny Alma McCollum. Find a Grave. Web. 25 April 2017. Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911. Maggie E. McCollum. Find a Grave. Web. 25 April 2017. Morgan, Henry J. <XREF URL="https://archive.org/details/canadianmenwomen00morguoft/page/n23" RESP="KME">Canadian Men and Women of the Time</XREF> 2nd ed. (Toronto: Briggs, 1912). Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, 1933-1934. Victoria McCollum Dusenberry. Find a Grave. Web. 25 April 2017. Washington, Deaths, 1883-1960. Washington, Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960. Watters, R.E. Checklist of Canadian Literature and Background Materials 1628-1960. 1959 (Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1970): 121.