PROFILE DETAILS
FULL NAME: Irma Frost
REAL NAME: Irma Frost Cone
AGE: Deceased (Born 1903, Died 1981)
Gender: Female
Birthdate: June 26, 1903
Birthplace: Derry, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States
RELIGION: Information not publicly available
FAMILY: Robert Lee Frost (Father), Elinor Miriam White (Mother), Lesley Frost Ballantine (Sister), Carol Frost (Brother), Marjorie Frost (Sister), Elliott Frost (Brother), Elinor Bettina Frost (Sister)
PARENTS: Robert Lee Frost and Elinor Miriam White
SPOUSE: John Paine Cone Sr. (Married 1926, Divorced 1946)
CHILDREN: John Paine Cone Jr., Harold Cone
CAREER: Information not publicly available
Nationality: American
Early Life
Irma Frost was born on June 26, 1903, in Derry, New Hampshire. She was the fourth child of Robert Frost and Elinor Miriam White. Her early years were spent on the family’s farm in Derry, a period that heavily influenced her father’s poetry. She grew up in a household deeply rooted in literature and rural New England life, though the family faced significant hardships, including the early deaths of several of her siblings.
Personal Life and Relationships
Irma Frost married John Paine Cone Sr. on October 15, 1926, in Franconia, New Hampshire. The couple had two sons, John Paine Cone Jr. and Harold Cone. However, the marriage was strained, and they eventually divorced in 1946. Irma’s life was significantly impacted by mental health challenges; in 1947, she was committed to a mental hospital, where she remained for the rest of her life. She was one of only two children to outlive her father.
BIOGRAPHY
Executive Summary
Irma Frost (1903–1981) remains a figure of historical interest primarily due to her status as the daughter of Robert Frost, one of America’s most celebrated poets. Born into a family that balanced literary brilliance with profound personal tragedy, Irma’s life reflected the complexities of the Frost household. She was born in Derry, New Hampshire, and was raised in the rural environments that served as the backdrop for much of her father’s work.
Despite the intellectual environment of her upbringing, Irma’s adult life was marked by personal and psychological struggles. Her marriage to John Paine Cone Sr. in 1926 initially offered a path toward a conventional life, resulting in two children. However, the union ended in divorce in the mid-1940s, coinciding with a decline in her mental health. In 1947, she was institutionalized, a move that Robert Frost described with great sorrow in his personal correspondence.
In the context of 2025 and 2026, Irma Frost is frequently cited in genealogical research and literary biographies exploring the “Frost family curse”—a term used by some scholars to describe the recurring mental health issues and tragedies that affected Robert Frost’s children. As of February 17, 2026, she is remembered as a poignant figure in American literary history, representing the private burdens carried by the families of public icons. Her legacy is preserved through family records, census data, and the extensive biographical work dedicated to her father’s life and the impact of his family on his poetic vision.