Justus Miles Forman

Born on November 1, 1875, in Le Roy, New York, he was an American writer who built a successful career as a novelist and also wrote for the stage. He came from a notably literary family: his brothers were the authors Gene Stratton-Porter and Charles Major.

He became known for widely read novels including Journeys End, Buchanan's Wife, and The Island of Enchantment. In 1915, his only play, The Hyphen, appeared, showing his interest in writing beyond fiction.

His life was cut short on May 7, 1915, when he died in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. That tragic end has remained one of the most remembered facts about a writer whose work once had a large popular audience.