Frances Aretta Carpenter was born on April 30, 1890 in Washington, D.C. Her father,
Frank G was a correspondent, world traveler, and well known author of travel books. Frances
Carpenter traveled with her father, and later with her husband, all over the world. Her mother
was Joanna. Frances married W. Chapin Huntington on April 6, 1920. They had two children:
Joanna Huntington and Edith Chapin. She graduated with a B.A. from Smith College in 1912, and
practiced with an Episcopalian congregation. Her
home address was 2101 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C.
Frances Carpenter was a writer, mostly of children's books. She also served as a member of the
board of trustees for her alma mater from 1936-1944, as well as the board of counselors from
1960-1963. She worked at the Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C., and was president of the
ladies board and member of the board of directors. She was a member of various organizations:
Smith College Alumnae Association (president, 1932-1935), Society of Women Geographers
(president, 1939-1942), Children's Book Guild (former president), Royal Geographical Society of
London (fellow), Cosmopolitan Club (New York), Sulgrave Club, Cosmos Club, Chevy
Chase Club (all in Washington, D.C.).
She wrote many books:
She traveled with her father on journalistic investigation tours to the "Orient," Near East,
Europe, and Alaska between 1908-1915. She traveled again with her husband as part of the
United States Foreign Service in 1920-1938, and by train in 1960-1961. She also traveled
around the Mediterranean in 1962 and Canada in 1963. They traveled in Africa 3,000 miles
by car and landrover in 1964, and spent some time in Korea and
Japan in 1966.
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Frances Carpenter passed away in 1972 at the age of 82.
1930 Tales of a Basque Grandmother
1931 Our Little Friends of Eskimo Land
1932 Our Neighbors Near and Far
1933 Tales of a Russian Grandmother
1934 Our Little Friends of the Arabian Desert
1937 Our Little Friends of China
1937 Tales of a Chinese Grandmother
1940 Tales of a Swiss Grandmother
1947 Tales of a Korean Grandmother
1969 The Story of Korea
Something about the Authors Volume 3 (p.36-37)
Fiction, Folklore, Fantasy & poetry for Children 1876-1985. New York: R. R. Bowker Company,1986. (p.170)