Anne Killigrew (–1685)

Anne Killigrew died tragically young of smallpox at age 24. John Dryden wrote a famous elegy entitled "To The Pious Memory of the Accomplish'd Young Lady Mrs. Anne Killigrew" in her memory. She belonged to a prominent Royalist family and the leading figures at the court of King Charles II are featured in her paintings. She served as a maid-of-honor to Mary of Modena, Duchess of York. Anne Killigrew is considered a major 17th-century English writer although she only managed to produce one collection of poems, published posthumously.