author
Mabel Wagnalls
1871–1946
A pianist, writer, and cultural patron, she moved easily between music, books, and public life. She is especially remembered for creating the Wagnalls Memorial Library in Ohio as a lasting gift to her parents' hometown.
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About the author
Born on April 20, 1871, Mabel Wagnalls was an American pianist and writer, later known as Mabel Wagnalls Jones after her marriage. She was the daughter of Adam and Anna Willis Wagnalls, and her family connection to the publishing world helped place her close to literary and cultural circles.
She wrote books including Stars of the Opera and The Rose-Bush of a Thousand Years, reflecting her strong interest in music and the arts. Beyond her writing, she is best known for establishing the Wagnalls Memorial Library in Lithopolis and Bloom Township, Ohio, in memory of her parents.
In 1920, she married Richard J. Jones. She died in New York City on March 22, 1946, but her legacy continued through the memorial library and cultural center she created, which remained one of her most meaningful public gifts.