Mary Stoyell Stimpson

Mary Stoyell Stimpson, also identified in library and public-domain records as Mary Adelia Stimpson and born Mary Adelia Stoyell, was an American writer who lived from 1857 to 1939. She is remembered chiefly for books that introduced biography to young readers in clear, engaging language.

Her best-known works include The Child's Book of American Biography (published in 1915) and The Child's Book of English Biography (published in 1916). Public-domain and library listings also connect her with Representative Women of New England and with a later children's life of Henry David Thoreau.

Stimpson's writing reflects a simple, educational style aimed at making notable historical figures feel approachable to children. Although not a widely documented literary celebrity today, her work has stayed in circulation through library collections, Project Gutenberg, and audiobook archives, which has helped preserve her place among early writers of children's nonfiction.