Charles Major

Born in Indianapolis on July 25, 1856, and raised in Shelbyville, Indiana, Charles Major was an American lawyer who became a bestselling novelist. He studied at the University of Michigan, practiced law, and later gained wide notice as a writer under the pen name Edwin Caskoden.

His breakthrough came with When Knighthood Was in Flower (1898), a historical romance that was a major commercial success. He followed it with other popular books including Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall and The Bears of Blue River, and several of his stories were adapted for the stage or screen.

Much of his work blended romance, adventure, and history in a way that appealed strongly to turn-of-the-century readers. He died at his home in Shelbyville on February 13, 1913, leaving behind a body of fiction still remembered in connection with Indiana literary history.