Martha Joanna Reade Nash Lamb (August 13, 1829 – January 2, 1893) was a United States author, editor and historian.
She was born in Plainfield, Massachusetts, to Arvin Nash and Lucinda Vinton. Educated at the Williston Seminary in Easthampton and Northampton High School. She published her first article, "A Visit to My Mother's Birthplace," in a local newspaper, Hampshire Gazette. On September 8, 1852, she married Charles A. Lamb. They moved to Chicago in 1857 and Martha became involved in charity work. With Jane C. Hoge, she helped found the Home for the Friendless and the Half-Orphan Asylum. In 1863 she was secretary to the United States Sanitary Commission Fair.
Her marriage ended by divorce around 1866, and she took her literary talents to New York City, where, in 1883 she purchased The Magazine of American History and became its editor. She was elected to membership in fifteen historical and learned societies in the United States and Europe.
The Play School Studies (4 vols., Boston, 1869)
Aunt Mattie's Library, a series of books for children including: “Merry Christmas,” “Drifting Goodword,” “Fun and Profit” and “Sabbath Schools.” (4 vols., Boston, 1871)
Spicy, chronicles the great Chicago fire (New York, 1873)
Harper's Magazine, 1876:
“Lyme, A Chapter of American Genealogy”
“Newark,” a complete sketch of that city
“Tombs of Old Trinity”
“State and Society in Washington,” Harper's Magazine, Volume 56, Issue 334 (March 1878), pp. 481–500.
“The Coast Survey,” Harper's Magazine, 1879
The Homes of America (New York, 1879)
Memorial of Dr. J. D. Russ, a philanthropist (New York, 1880)
The Christmas Owl: A Budget of Entertainment, editor, collection of poems shaped like an owl (New York, 1881)
The Christmas Basket Holiday Entertainment, editor, shaped like an basket (New York, 1882)
Snow and Sunshine (New York, 1882)
“The American Life Saving Service,” Harper's Magazine, 1882
“Historical Sketch of New York,” for the Tenth United States Census, 1883
Wall Street in History (New York, 1883)
Magazine of American History, 1884
“Unsuccessful Candidates for the Presidency of the Nation”
“The Van Rensselaer Manor”
Magazine of American History, 1885
“The Framers of the Constitution”
“The Manor of Gardiner's Island”
“Sketch of Major-General John A. Dix”
Magazine of American History, 1886
“The Van Cortlandt Manor House”
“Historic Homes in Lafayette Place”
“The Founder, Presidents and Homes of the New York Historical Society”
Magazine of American History, 1887
“The Historic Homes of our Presidents”
“Historic Homes on Golden Hills”
“The Manor of Shelter Island”
Magazine of American History, 1888
“Foundation of Civil Government beyond the Ohio River, 1788-1888”
“The Inauguration of Washington in 1789,” written by special request of the New York Historical Society
Magazine of American History, 1889
“Historic Homes and Landmarks in New York,” three papers
“The Story of the Washington Centennial”
Magazine of American History, 1890
“America's Congress of Historical Scholars”
“Our South American Neighbors”
“American Outgrowths of Continental Europe”
“The Golden Age of Colonial New York”
“Formative Influences,” The Forum, 1890
Magazine of American History, 1891
“William H. Seward, a Great Public Character”
“Glimpses of the Railroad in History”
“The Royal Society of Canada”
“Some Interesting Facts about Electricity”
“A Group of Columbus Portraits”
“Judge Charles Johnson McCurdy”
Magazine of American History, 1892
“The Walters Collection of Art Treasures”
“Progression of Steam Navigation, 1807-1892”
The History of the City of New York: Its Origin, Rise, and Progress. (2 vols.) 1877-81 (her most noted work, the product of about fifteen years of patient labor and research)
She wrote about 50 shorter stories, and more than 100 historical and other papers in magazines.
