Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by Susan Bailey on the life, works and legacy of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Susan is an active member and supporter of the Louisa May Alcott Society, the Fruitlands Museum and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.
I got a response to my question about the search for current Alcott family members from someone in my Louisa May Alcott Facebook group. She writes;
… I read here in the Acknowledgments of Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs that here’s some folks you may want to look up: “For material in this biography, thanks are due, personally, for verbal information from Mrs. Alcott Pratt of Concord, Massachusetts, daughter-in-law of Anna Alcott Pratt”; the other names might not be related?– Miss Clare Endicott Sears of Boston (http://www.fruitlands.org/ces), Miss Sarah Niles of Arlington, etc.
3 Replies to “Follow-up to search for Alcott family members”
In the Harriet Reisen biography of Louisa May Alcott, which is recent (2009), she writes in the Epilogue of the descendants of Anna Alcott (Meg) and May Alcott (Amy). Louisa (Jo) and Elizabeth (Beth) never had any children. She does not list today’s Alcott descendants systematically but certainly implies that they exist.
Hi – I can help you out here.
Anna had two sons. Johnnie never married. Louisa named him as her heir (he was second son) and the rights to her books passed to him. As he had no descendants this is why the rights to so much of her writings went into public domain in time.
Freddie married and had children. Those children had children and the descendants – at least some of them – still live in the area of Concord and some are active at Orchard House (home of the Alcotts). (for instance, one year when we re-enacted Anna’s wedding, the parts of Anna and John Pratt were played by descendants!).
Elizabeth died without having children — as did Louisa.
After Louisa’s death, Lulu returned to her father in Europe. She grew up to have a daughter and several grandchildren (6 I believe) and presumably descendants from them (in Europe).
I hope that helps!!
If you ever want to visit Orchard House with me, let me know. I just live up the road from you (off Route 85)! 🙂 -beth
Louisa May Alcott is My Passion 
In the Harriet Reisen biography of Louisa May Alcott, which is recent (2009), she writes in the Epilogue of the descendants of Anna Alcott (Meg) and May Alcott (Amy). Louisa (Jo) and Elizabeth (Beth) never had any children. She does not list today’s Alcott descendants systematically but certainly implies that they exist.
Ugh, I feel dumb, that’ll teach me to skip the epilogue! Thanks for that.
How curious that John and Fred Pratt didn’t have any heirs. And Lulu Nieriker didn’t have children either. Very curious . . .
Hi – I can help you out here.
Anna had two sons. Johnnie never married. Louisa named him as her heir (he was second son) and the rights to her books passed to him. As he had no descendants this is why the rights to so much of her writings went into public domain in time.
Freddie married and had children. Those children had children and the descendants – at least some of them – still live in the area of Concord and some are active at Orchard House (home of the Alcotts). (for instance, one year when we re-enacted Anna’s wedding, the parts of Anna and John Pratt were played by descendants!).
Elizabeth died without having children — as did Louisa.
After Louisa’s death, Lulu returned to her father in Europe. She grew up to have a daughter and several grandchildren (6 I believe) and presumably descendants from them (in Europe).
I hope that helps!!
If you ever want to visit Orchard House with me, let me know. I just live up the road from you (off Route 85)! 🙂 -beth