Jane Cunningham Croly (1829–1901), the journalist and cookbook author known as “Jennie June,” was born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, England. Her family emigrated to the United States in 1841, settling first in Poughkeepsie and afterward in or near Wappingers Falls, New York. She married David G. Croly, a reporter for the New York Herald, in 1856.
Under her nom de plume of Jennie, Mrs. Croly was a pioneer woman in the workplace. She was a prolific writer, the first woman journalist to have her articles syndicated, and also invented the syndication of readers’ responses. Despite having to run a lavish household and bring up five children, her output was enormous, and she contributed to almost every important publication of the time. She edited Demorest’s magazine for twenty-seven years and was both editor and owner of Godey’s Magazine and The Home-Maker. The Cycle was her own creation and property. Many of her writings were collected into book form.
