Marah Ellis Ryan

Born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, Marah Ellis Ryan was an American author, actress, and activist who published widely from the late 19th into the early 20th century. Some sources list her birth year as 1860, while others give 1866; she died on July 11, 1934. She also wrote under the name Ellis Martin and was married to actor and comedian Samuel Erwin Ryan.

Ryan became especially associated with stories of the American West. Her novels include Told in the Hills, Squaw Élouise, and That Girl Montana, and contemporary reference pages describe her as a popular writer of her era.

She was also remembered for her interest in Native American communities, particularly the Hopi, and for advocacy connected to Native American rights. That background helped shape the settings and themes of her fiction, giving her work a mix of romance, regional history, and social concern.