George Ade

Born in Kentland, Indiana, in 1866, George Ade studied at Purdue University before building his career in Chicago journalism. Writing for the Chicago Record, he became widely known for newspaper sketches and columns that captured city life in plain, witty language.

Ade reached national fame with Fables in Slang in 1899, a collection of comic moral tales that used American vernacular instead of formal literary style. He also wrote successful stage works and librettos, becoming one of the best-known humorists and playwrights of the early 20th century.

Although his work was popular across the country, he remained strongly tied to Indiana and later lived at his Hazelden estate near Brook. He died in 1944, remembered for writing that was breezy, observant, and still easy to enjoy for its humor and feel for everyday American life.