Anna Burge Muir
“Anna Moore”
“Rob Moore’s” Cousin
Well-known socialite and horse woman in later life
Her life came to a tragic early end
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Miss Anna Burge Muir |
Mrs. Humphrey |
photos from The Sunday Herald Post,
Louisville, Kentucky December 23, 1928
Photos by Standiford
Rob Moore’s cousin, Anna Moore, only appears a few times in the Little Colonel series, most notably as a guest at the Halloween party at Haunted Hartwell Hollow in Chapter XI of The Little Colonel’s Holidays:
“It is a real Tam O’Shanter night,” said Miss Allison, as she led the way up the winding walk to the front door. “I can easily imagine witches flying over my head. Can’t you?” she asked, turning to the little group surrounding her. There were eight children. For not only Ranald and his sisters had come with Malcolm and Keith, but Rob Moore and his cousin Anna had been invited to come out from town to try their fortunes at Hartwell Hollow, and spend the night in the Valley where they always passed their happy summers…
…Elise clung to Allison’s hand, for the little sister wanted the protection of the big one, in those ghostly-looking rooms, lighted only by the fires and the yellow gleam of those rows of weird, uncanny jack-o’-lantern faces. Like Kitty, both Allison and Elise had big dark eyes that might have been the pride of a Spanish señorita, they were so large and lustrous. Kitty’s curls had been cut, but theirs hung thick and long on their shoulders. The sight of them moved Rob to a compliment.
“You and Anna Moore make me think of night and morning,” he said, looking from Anna’s golden hair to Allison’s dusky curls. “One is so light and one is so black. You ought to go around together all the time. You look fine together.”
“Rob is growing up,” laughed Anna. “Two years ago he wouldn’t have thought about making pretty speeches about our hair; he’d just have pulled it.”
Annie Fellows Johnston based on Anna Moore on Anna Burge Muir, Muir Semple’s or ”Rob Moore’s” cousin.She was the daughter of Judge Peter Brown Muir’s son, Sidney, and Sarah Lloyd (Burge) Muir, sister of another Pewee, Albert W. Burge of Delacoosha
“Who’s Who in Louisville,” published in 1912, provides the following additional information about her:
m. to Edward Porter Humphrey (noted lawyer) of Lou., Ky. Democrat. Episcopal. Mrs. Humphrey breeds and develops thoroughbred and saddle horses at Arbor-Lea, her farm near Hikes Point, Jefferson co., Ky. Clubs: Louisville Country, Kentucky, Pendennis. Home: Hikes Mill Rd.
and about her husband:
HUMPHREY, Edward Porter, lawyer; b. Lou., Ky.; s. Edward W.C. and Jessamine (Barkley) Humphrey; ed. Rugby school, U of L. Mem. of the law firm of Humphrey, Crawford & Middleton. Presbyterian. Clubs: Pendennis, Lou. Country, Kentucky. Home: Hikes Mill Rd., Jefferson co., Ky. Office: Inter-Southern Life Bldg.
Anna Burge Muir Humphrey died on April 5, 1934 and her obituary ran not only in the “Courier-Journal,” but also in the “New York Times:”
MRS. E. P. HUMPHREY IS DEAD IN KENTUCKY
Well Known in Society Circles Here – She Owned Several Championship Show Horses
Louisville, Ky., April 5 (1934) —Mrs. Anna Burge Muir Humphrey, well known in Louisville and New York society circles, and wife of Edward P. Humphrey, attorney, died this morning in a Louisville hospital of peritonitis. Her age was 44.
Mrs. Humphrey owned several champion horses, which she had shown in rings throughout the United States. Active in the Democratic party for years, she delivered an address at the 1922 Jefferson Day dinner given by the National Democratic Club in New York. Annie Fellows Johnston, author of “The Little Colonel” series, portrayed Mrs. Humphrey as one of the principal characters in the series.
Daughter of Mrs. Sidney Muir and the late Mr. Muir, she was born at the country home of her parents near Louisville. Her maternal great-grandfather, Elisha Applegate, one of the first children born in Louisville, established his house on the site of Ft. Nelson on the falls of the Ohio River.
A son, Muir Burge Humphrey, also survives.
Anna Muir Humphrey (1889-1934) is buried in Section P, Lot 673 at Cave Hill Cemetery.