Frederic Stewart Isham

Born in Detroit, Frederic Stewart Isham was an American writer remembered for historical romances, adventure novels, and plays. Reliable library and reference sources describe him as having worked on the editorial staff of the Detroit Free Press and other newspapers for about a decade before building his reputation as an author.

His books include titles such as The Strollers, Under the Rose, Black Friday, The Lady of the Mount, Half a Chance, and The Social Buccaneer. He also wrote for the theater, and his mix of romance, action, and wit helped make his stories popular with early-20th-century readers.

Sources disagree on whether he was born in 1865 or 1866, so that detail is often given both ways in catalogs and biographies. He died in 1922, leaving behind a body of work that reflects the period's taste for brisk storytelling, colorful settings, and high-spirited adventure.