Early Life in Missouri
Anna Lee Brosius was born in 1869 in Hamilton, Missouri. Her father, James Henry, was a merchant and veteran; her mother, Mary Francis, came from the town's founding family. A petite, outspoken artist with fiery auburn hair, Anna was a versatile creator who worked in oils, pastels, poetry, scrapbooking, and china painting.
In 1891, she married Frank Nicholas Korn. Anna balanced domestic life with leadership in social and activist clubs—civic roles that eventually led her to found the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
Anna believed that history and patriotism were inseparable from public service. Through her leadership in several organizations, including the Missouri Writers Guild, the National League of American Pen Women, the Missouri Historical Society, and the Missouri XIX Club, she worked to inspire others and shape how the American past was remembered.
To this end, Anna championed public and civic expressions of patriotism through historical observance. She successfully campaigned for a law naming the first Monday in October "Missouri Day" to celebrate her home state's history. She also wrote the "Missouri Carol," a song the state legislature endorsed for official occasions and national holidays.