Ellis Towne

Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833–1906) was an American author of children’s fiction who wrote under several pen names, including Sophie May and Ellis Towne. She became widely known for the popular Little Prudy and Dotty Dimple series, which brought lively child characters and gentle moral lessons to generations of young readers.

As Ellis Towne, Clarke is associated with Lill’s Travels in Santa Claus Land and Other Stories, a late-19th-century collection credited to Ellis Towne, Sophie May, and Ella Farman. Its fanciful adventures, holiday setting, and emphasis on kindness and good behavior reflect the warmth and playful imagination that made Clarke’s children’s writing so enduring.