Jeanne D'Orge (November 22, 1877 – May 2, 1964) was an American lyric poet, artist, and patron of the arts. She founded the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States, for artists and writers, and where actors and musicians perform.
Early life
Jeanne D'Orge was born on November 22, 1877, in Donisthorpe North West Leicestershire, England. Her birthname was Lena Dalkeith Yates. Her father was Walter Yates (b. 1853). Her mother was Emily Fowler (b. 1853). At an early stage of their lives, her family faced the desertion of her father, who worked as a seed merchant.
During her formative years, D'Orge and her mother traveled the cities of Edinburgh, London, and Paris. Voice in the Circle, a poignant book of verse centering on the author's childhood experiences in Europe, was written by D'Orge and published in 1955.
It was in Paris, on a walking trip, where she encountered and later married Alfred Edgar Burton (1957-1935) on July 19, 1906, in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England. Burton was widowed with two sons. His son Harold H. Burton served as the 45th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, as a U.S. Senator from Ohio, and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Alfred Burton and D'Orge had three children, Alexander Ross (1911-1970), Virginia Lee (1909-1968), and Christine (1907–1981). Her daughter Virginia Lee Burton became a illustrator and children's book author. Alfred Burton was a geographer and first of Student Affairs at the M.I.T. for twenty years reporting to the president. Burton was twenty-two years older than D'Orge. Having been an explorer in the past, Burton had joined Commodore Robert Peary on numerous expeditions to the North Pole.
However, upon settling in Boston, the role of a dean's wife proved to be constricting for her creative spirit. Seeking an outlet for her artistic expression, she gravitated towards a group of poets known as Others.
Career
In 1906, D'Orge, Burton, and their three children arrived in Newton Centre, Massachusetts and established a residence on Beacon Hill. This home soon transformed into a gathering spot for artists, musicians, and writers, fostering a creative community. During this period, D'Orge penned her children's books under the pseudonym Lena Dalkeith, a name she supposedly borrowed from a village located near Edinburgh. In the 1900s, using the name Lena Dalkeith, she already had several children's books under her belt, including titles like "Aesop's Fables," "Little Plays," and "Stories from French History." Her books and poetry, earning widespread critical acclaim across the nation. Her literary talents flourished in this environment, capturing the hearts of readers young and old alike.
Her poetic works found their way into the pages of magazine and publications like Scribners and Poetry. Alongside Others magazine poets such as William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, and Wallace Stevens, she participated in poetry reading at the New York Armory Show in 1913. In 1915, she released a collection of verse titled "Prose Chants," published under the pen name Lena Dalkeith Burton. These events marked a milestone in her literary journey, as it allowed her to showcase her poetic prowess to a wider audience and further cemented her place in the avant-garde poetry scene of that era.
In 1917, due to the New Massachusetts winters taking a toll on D'Orge's health, the family made a move to San Diego, California. At that time, Burton, who was nearing his retirement after a forty-year tenure at MIT, took a leave of absence.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
In 1920, accompanied by her three children and Burton, her recently retired husband, she made her way to the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, then a small, artistic community.
D'Orge and Burton found themselves drawn to the Forest Theater, where they, along with their children, Virginia, and Christine Burton, actively participated in various theatrical productions. During their time there, they unexpectedly crossed paths with a former student of Burton's, the inventive Carl William Cherry (1900-1947), who was overseeing the lighting arrangements. Little did they know that this chance meeting would spark something between D'Orge and Cherry, despite the substantial age difference and the fact that he was not conventionally attractive. Chery's appearance was described as gangly and elf-like, while D'Orge herself was of a plumper and matronly disposition. The Carmel community was scandalized by her desertion of her husband and children. Her parents divorced in 1925, and her father returned to Boston.