Because it was not deemed proper for a woman of Katherine Floyd Dana’s social position to be known as a “writer”(apparantly not an approved avocation for a modern 19th Century Woman, according to the leading 12th century minds of men of the day) Kate had to write under a pen name. She carefully chose the name Olive A. Wadsworth and often signed her manuscripts and letters O. A. W. which to her inside circle really stood for “Only A Woman” One had to wonder how many leading financial moguls of the gilded age would of had a stroke if they only knew she was secretly helping her husband William B. Dana write his Commercial & Financial Chronicle . The “Chronicle” was the leading paper of the day for all things that dealt with commerce,business and BIG money. Many large financial decisions those titans of industry made, were based on what appeared on the pages of the Chronicle ………… and Buck & Kate’s thoughts!!!!
On these next pages I am proudly presenting some samples of her writings for both children and adults that undoubtably had their roots in her birthplace and in her later years….. Mastic, Long Island, New York . I also find it fitting that the original location in 1948 for the proposed first school in Mastic (William Floyd School) was on her “Moss Lots” estate on the Forge River. Although the school was eventually built in 1950, just a stones throw westward on donated land from developer Walter T. Shirley, I tend to think that “Olive’s Branches” spread the spirit of K.F.D. and resided quietly in our school library.
