Mary Agnes Tincker

Born in Ellsworth, Maine, Mary Agnes Tincker was an American novelist and short-story writer active in the second half of the nineteenth century. Reliable sources agree that she published many works of fiction and became known especially among Catholic readers, though some reference sources disagree on whether she was born in 1831 or 1833.

Accounts of her life say she began teaching at a very young age, converted to Catholicism as a young woman, and later served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War. She spent substantial time in Europe, especially Italy, and that experience shaped the settings and atmosphere of much of her fiction.

Tincker wrote about a dozen novels along with numerous shorter pieces. Her work is remembered for blending religious feeling with character-driven storytelling, and for bringing American and European settings together in a warm, reflective style.