Julia Keese Nelson Colles (1840–1913) was an American historian, writer, and lecturer who dedicated much of her life to researching and documenting the history of Morristown, New Jersey. A prominent figure in her local intellectual community, Colles was deeply invested in historical preservation and education, contributing significantly to the cultural life of her region during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.\n\nHer most notable literary contribution is the 1893 volume Authors and Writers Associated with Morristown, which compiled the literary and historical legacy of the area. Beyond her writing, Colles was an active educator and academic, serving as the chair of social science at Rutgers Female College in New York City. She also helped establish the women's branch of the New Jersey Historical Society and maintained active memberships in the American Historical Association and the Women's Town Improvement Association.\n\nColles was also widely recognized for her educational lectures, which she delivered in private homes throughout Morristown. Her presentations covered a diverse array of subjects, ranging from major literary figures like Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, and Goethe, to historical biographies of women such as Martha Washington and Marie Antoinette, as well as broader topics like Russian literature and the art of conversation.
