Mary C. (Mary Churchill) Hungerford

Mary Elizabeth Churchill Hungerford (1831–1901), often listed as Mary C. Hungerford or Mary Churchill Hungerford, was an American author of children's fiction. Modern library and public-domain records connect her most clearly with books such as The Friendly Five (1891) and Philip: The Story of a Boy Violinist (1898, with Virginia C.).

The available records describe her as a writer for girls, and that matches the best-known work now easy to trace: The Friendly Five, a school story centered on friendship and character. Her writing belongs to the world of late-19th-century juvenile fiction, where everyday behavior, loyalty, and self-improvement often shaped the plot.

Reliable biographical details are fairly sparse in easily accessible sources, but basic reference pages agree on her birth name, her alternate author forms, and her lifespan. I couldn't confirm a suitable verified portrait from the pages available, so no profile image is included.