Frances Aymar Mathews

Born in New York City in 1865, Frances Aymar Mathews was educated by private tutors and went on to become a prolific American writer and playwright. She published articles and stories in magazines including Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly, Godey’s Lady’s Book, and Harper’s Bazaar, then expanded into fiction and drama.

Her first play, Bigamy (1881), launched a long career in the theater. She became especially known for Pretty Peggy (1902), a popular play starring Grace George, and also wrote novels such as My Lady Peggy Goes to Town and its sequel My Lady Peggy Leaves Town. Her work often centered on courtship, society, and spirited conversation, with a strong feel for stagecraft.

Mathews spent much of her adult life in Indianapolis and died in New York City on September 10, 1925. Though she is less widely read today, she was a versatile writer whose career linked magazine fiction, popular novels, and the American stage.