Mary Greenway McClelland, who published under the name M. G. McClelland, was an American novelist and poet active during the late nineteenth century. Born in Norwood, Virginia, in 1853, she was the daughter of a planter and spent most of her life at Elm Cottage, an isolated home in Buckingham County, Virginia. This secluded upbringing shaped her literary focus, which frequently centered on Southern themes and regional settings.\n\nMcClelland began her literary career in 1884 with the publication of Ole Ike's Memories, a short collection of poems written in African-American dialect. She subsequently transitioned to writing novels, many of which were published by Henry Holt and Co. In addition to her book-length fiction, she contributed to prominent periodicals of her day, including Lippincott's Monthly, Youth's Companion, and Harper's Monthly, and served on the editorial staff of Peterson's Magazine.\n\nHer novels, such as Broadoaks, often explored regional dynamics, including romantic conflicts between Northern and Southern characters. While popular during her lifetime, her work received mixed critical reception in later years. Some critics, such as Cratis D. Williams, argued that her depictions of Southern mountaineers lacked authenticity, suggesting her portrayals relied more on hearsay and existing frontier fiction than direct observation. McClelland died of tuberculosis at her home in 1895.
