JOSEPHINE CLIFFORDJosephine Clifford McCracken was born Josephine Woempner in 1839 in Petershagen, Kingdom of Prussia, to a former Waterloo soldier who emigrated with the family to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1846 amid political unrest. Her early adult life took a dramati turn in 1864 when she married army lieutenant James A. Clifford in New Mexico. After he confessed to murder and threatened her life, she fled to San Francisco. There she immersed herself in writing and journalism, publishing for Harper Brothers and newspapers such as Out West and Western Field. She joined the staff of the Overland Monthly in 1867 and became part of the California literary circle alongside Ina Coolbrith and Bret Harte. Her short story collection Overland tales appeared in 1871, cementing her status in San Francisco s literary community. In 1882 she married Jackson McCracken and settled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where her home became a hub for writers. A devastating fire in 1899 destroyed her home and surrounding redwoods, which led to her activism to preserve California s forests. She became a vocal environmental advocate and published writings on conservation. Her legacy spans both literature and environmentalism. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Woempner. Read More Read Less