Elinor Macartney Lane (1864–1909)

Elinor Macartney Lane was born in Maryland. The family later moved to Washington, D.C., where she attended high school and normal (teacher training) school, from which she graduated in 1882. She taught mathematics in the public school. In 1891, she married Francis Ransom Lane, who was also a teacher. She began writing at age 16 and published a number of short stories. Her first novel, Mills of God, was published in 1901. Her next novel, Nancy Stair (1904), became a bestseller. It was adapted for the stage the following year by Paul M. Potter. Her books continued to be popular for the rest of the decade.