Clara Louise Burnham

Born Clara Louise Root in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1854, she was the daughter of composer George F. Root. She grew up largely in Chicago, married Walter Burnham in 1873, and went on to build a long writing career under the name Clara Louise Burnham.

Her breakthrough came with No Gentlemen in 1881, followed by a steady stream of novels including Dearly Bought, The Mistress of Beech Knoll, and Miss Bagg's Secretary. She wrote 26 novels between 1881 and 1925, and her work was known for its readable storytelling, domestic drama, and interest in character and moral change.

Some of her best-known later books, including The Right Princess, Jewel, and The Leaven of Love, are especially associated with Christian Science ideas. She died in 1927, leaving behind a body of fiction that was widely read in its day and still offers a vivid glimpse of popular American storytelling from her era.