Harry Chase Brearley

An American writer born in Detroit in the early 1870s, he worked in journalism and business before becoming known as an author. Sources about his career describe him as having been connected with the Detroit Evening News and the Detroit Journal, and later involved in insurance and publishing work.

His books show a wide range of interests. Along with Time Telling Through the Ages, he wrote Animal Secrets Told and books connected with public safety and insurance history, including A Symbol of Safety and Fifty Years of a Civilizing Force. That mix helps explain his style: practical, curious, and drawn to the stories behind how things work.

He died in 1940. Even now, his writing stands out for making specialized subjects feel approachable to general readers.