H. de (Henry) Graffigny

Born Raoul Henri Clément Auguste Antoine Marquis in 1863, this French writer used the name Henry de Graffigny, taken from his birthplace, Graffigny-Chemin. He built a career as a remarkably versatile author, journalist, and science popularizer, writing both imaginative adventures and accessible books about modern technology.

Reference works describe him as an aeronaut and an amateur scientist, and he was at one point editor-in-chief of the magazine La Science universelle. His subjects were wide-ranging: automobiles, airplanes, engines, scientific speculation, and travel-inspired adventure all found a place in his work.

He died in 1934. Today, he is remembered as one of those energetic early twentieth-century writers who helped make science and invention feel exciting and readable for everyday audiences.