author
Margaret Bemister
1877–1984
A Canadian teacher-turned-writer, she became known for collecting and retelling traditional stories from Indigenous communities and for writing books for young readers. Her work links Prairie life, folklore, and early twentieth-century children's literature.
1 Audiobook
Thirty Indian legends
by Margaret Bemister
About the author
Born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, on August 31, 1877, Margaret Bemister was a Canadian writer and educator. She trained at the Winnipeg Normal School and spent many years teaching on the Prairies before later settling in Vancouver.
Bemister is best remembered for books that gathered and retold legends and stories, including Thirty Indian Legends and Indian Legends: Stories of America Before Columbus. Reference sources consistently describe her as both a writer and teacher, and her work has remained available through library, public-domain, and audiobook collections.
She lived a remarkably long life, dying in Vancouver on March 3, 1984, at the age of 106. While detailed biographical records are limited, the available sources show a long career devoted to education and to sharing stories with younger readers.