Marion Ames Taggart

Born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Marion Ames Taggart became an American writer of stories, poems, and Catholic literature, much of it aimed at children and young readers. Sources agree that poor health kept her from regular schooling, so much of her education came from her mother instead.

She began writing very young and was contributing work while still in her teens. Over time she published widely in both secular and Catholic outlets, and she built a substantial body of fiction that included The Little Grey House, Miss Lochinvar, Beth's Wonder-Winter, and A Pilgrim Maid. Her work is especially remembered for its focus on girls' lives, home, friendship, and faith.

Taggart died in January 1945 at her home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A portrait image could not be confirmed from the sources I checked, but her books remain widely available through public-domain and library projects, which has helped keep her work in circulation for modern readers.