Reading about May and Louisa’s European tour in 1870-71 in Caroline Ticknor’s book, May Alcott A Memoir reminds me again of how strong the creative life force was in that family. There was such a sense of adventure in those two women, expressed through colorful stories and informative sketches and drawings. Was such talent and energy limited to just Louisa’s immediate family? Does anyone have information they could provide about Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt’s children? Did May’s daughter, Lulu Nieriker, have any children? Are any relations still living in Concord? Leave me a comment and let me know.
p.s. a curious find (probably only curious to me!) – in doing a preliminary search for current relatives, I found that my own family name figured in! My maiden name is Hoyle and I saw this in a list of family correspondences to be found at the Concord Library –
BRONSON ALCOTT PRATT [as recipient] (1 item):
ALS, Carrie M. Hoyle “To Mr. Alcott Pratt,” 1912 May 17 (invitation from Hoyle as Secretary of Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association to opening of the Alcott House).
Makes me want to find out who this Carrie M. Hoyle is. It appears the apple hasn’t fallen too far from the tree. 🙂
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 
That you may have a family connection to the Alcotts is exciting. I hope you are able to trace down that lead. I’ve heard there are many good on-line sources for genealogical searches that you might consider going that route.
I’m afraid I have no information to add to the question you raise about descendants of the Alcott family. After reading The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott I became curious about May as well as Louisa. They appeared to have had a very strong bond.
I’ll keep watching this space to see what responses you get to the question. Here’s hoping for lots of good answers.
Carrie M. Hoyle was a Concord resident and the first Secretary of the Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association — but unfortunately no relation of the Alcotts. The “LMAMA” was founded in 1911 to preserve and promote the Alcott’s Concord home, Orchard House. On May 27, 1912, the Association hosted a formal opening celebration of Orchard House (it had been renovated for about a year prior, and was shown haphazardly as the work was being done to it). Among the many invited guests were descendants of the Alcott family and many other Concord notables who had been friends of the family. Miss Hoyle was in charge of sending out the invites and collecting responses. Over 200 people came to the event, many sharing reminiscences of life and times in the Alcott home. Orchard House will actually begin a celebration of its Centennial starting in April of this year, and will culminate in a weekend full of special events on May 26-27, 2012!
As far as the direct descendants of the Alcotts: Anna Alcott Pratt’s descendants still live in the New England area and one family does live in Concord and Acton, MA, while May had one daughter whose descendants all continue to reside in Europe. (None of their surnames as Alcott, however.) Although highly fulfilled in their given callings and proud of their heritage, none of the descendants became as famous as the Alcotts of Orchard House.
Thank you so much for this information. I am very curious about Carrie Hoyle since Hoyle is my maiden name; now I really want to find out if there is a relation. It’s so cool that a namesake of mine was the first secretary of the LMAMA. 🙂
I saw that about the centennial at the Orchard House website – reminds me that I should do a formal post about that.
One of her Pratt nephew’s wife’s family owned some shops in Concord that are still there. My favorite, The Barrow Bookshop, is still family owned, I think.
Oh yes, I just found that out this spring because of the Concord Players’ production of Little Women, when I saw one of the relatives listed in the program. Very cool!
My grandmother’s maiden name was Jeanette Alcott. Her father’s name was Nathan Alcott. I was told that Louisa May Alcott was a relative. My grandmother’s family was from Saratoga, NY. I have started working on our family tree as my daughter has type 1 (juvenile) Diabetes. Since type 1 is genetic, her endocrinologist asked if we had any other relatives diagnosed. Up until 100 years ago, it was called ‘wasting away illness’. Type 1 is typically triggered by an illness. When the body fights the illness this genetic ‘flaw’ turns on and then starts killing the beta cells that make insulin. Elizabeth’s Scarlet Fever then getting ‘wasting away illness’ would fit a type 1 diagnosis. I contacted the Orchard House and am waiting to hear back from the person that works on the genealogy. Hoping to hear back soon!!
This is amazing. Have you learned anything else about this theory y?
No, I haven’t.
My family is related to Louisa May Alcott. She would be my third or fourth cousin. The connection as I understood it was that Louisa’s father, Bronson, had a sister who married my great grandfather, or possibly my great, great grandfather, who’s last name was Hunter, and they lived in Pennsylvania.
Cool! Do you recall the name of Bronson’s sister?
I have been doing research and it shows Louisa may alcott my 6th cousin 5 times removed.
Cool!
I’m living near Portland Oregon! 7 generations from LMA. My great grandfather was a clockmaker, many craftsmen in the family.
Cool re: the clock making and craftsmen skills – Bronson worked in a clock factory and excelled at being a craftsmen. Thanks for writing.
I am a 6th twice removed cousin of Louisa. Related through my 3rd great grandfather I believe according to ancestry. So not a direct ancestor I guess but close enough for me. I am thrilled to be connected to the Alcotts!
Then we might be related?
I am a 6th twice removed cousin of Louisa. Related through my 3rd great grandfather I believe according to ancestry. So not a direct ancestor I guess but close enough for me. I am thrilled to be connected to the Alcotts!
That’s exciting, I envy you!
I have learnt through ancestry uk I am the 7th cousin of louisa may Alcott 5 th removed !
Awesome!
I was also told by Ancestry.co.uk that Louisa is my 7th cousin 5x removed.
Cool!
According to ancestry.com we Louisa is my 6 cousin, 4th remove, shared through my 9th great grandmother
Very cool!
I’m blood related to the whole family but I only found this out through ancestry.com with a lot of proof. I live in Texas. And I’m 23
Cool!
Hi! My name is Kyndall. My great-great grandmother (I don’t know her name unfortunately— you’ll understand why later) is the great-niece (or great great niece) of Louisa May Alcott.
I believe she is the daughter or granddaughter of Lulu. But more than likely was a descendant of Anna. I only believe it was Lulu because it is a family name. She had my great grandmother Jo (Jo Ann) out of wedlock and had to give her up for adoption. My great grandma didn’t learn this til she was about 20 or 30. I am the 5th generation born at 20>>>
My great-great grandma had my great grandma at 20, who had my grandma at 20, who had my biological mother at 20, who had me at 20… so she was born roughly 1914.
I have since separated ties with my biological mother and it’s made family dynamic a bit awkward. So I was roughly 15 when all this was verbally described to me, and the details are a tad funny… But she was born in Europe/Germany before coming to America with family. My great great grandmother passed shortly before or after I was born and she wasn’t mentioned a lot growing up. But I remember Grandma Jo. She was a firecracker. Very much like her namesake. All I know is that she was pretty closely related to LMA.
I will try to get more info for you. My godmother (my great aunt) has all the genealogy. Be back soon!
Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
I know— without a whole lot sounds like a tall tale 😝 but I’ll definitely get the deets for you🙏🏼🥰
My fathers side of our family are Alcott’s from Philadelphia at least for a century and a half. Dad, grandad, and great grandad are all Theodore. I don’t know if we are Louisa’s relation, but was always told there is a strong possibility. This is neat to read about all the other connections to her!
Her 6th great grandfather is my 11th great grandfather.
I found out through ancestry.com that I am related to Louisa May Alcott. Her 7th great-grandfather is also my 10th great-grandfather. She is the 7th cousin to my great-great-grandmother. My grandmother was a Pratt. So many twists and turns in genealogy. I love researching this side of my family. Ironically, I am a librarian at our local middle school.
Very cool!
my mothers maiden name was still Alcott I was told Louisa may was a (how ever many greats) aunt relation our family is from Pennsylvania
Dear P:
Re relatives of the Alcott family and May Alcott.
I think a really valuable reference might be the book,
“The Forgotten Alcott”, Essays on the Artistic Legacy
and Literary Life of May Alcott Nieriker edited by Axelina Flint and
Lauren Hehmeyer, published by Routledge in 2022, which was
all about May.
You will see Lulu’s descendents listed in the final chapter, but more
than that, you will find many interesting takes of May’s life, including
the relationship between May and Louisa, as well as May’s other
2 sisters, by a collection of dedicated Alcott scholars. (My favorite chapters are by Jan Turnquist, Daniel Shealy, and our own Susan Bailey).
I think that anyone who is seriously interested in the Alcott family
will get a great deal of knowledge and enjoyment from this book.
Thank you all.
Best Regards
Alex L.
In the interest of accuracy and not disappoionting anyone who is considering purchasing “The Forgotten Alcott”, I should state that I don’t know for sure if all May’s descendants are named, but 1 daughter, 3 granddaughters, and 1 great granddaughter are named.
I think it is really a treasure for anyone who is seriously interested in
May Alcott Nieriker.
Best Regards
Alex L.
I found out a years ago when I was younger from my grandmother Anita Ann Alcott that we are related to Louisa May Alcott. My nana actually showed me a very old copy of her book Little Women that was passed down onto our family for many years.