author
Octavia Roberts
1875–1972
A Springfield-born journalist and historical writer, she is best remembered for clear, approachable books that brought figures like Abraham Lincoln and Lafayette to general readers. Her work often blended a reporter’s eye for detail with a storyteller’s sense of place.
1 Audiobook
My Lady Valentine
by Octavia Roberts
About the author
Born in Springfield, Illinois, in 1875, she was the daughter of merchant Charles D. Roberts and Octavia Ridgely Roberts. Later known as Octavia Roberts Corneau, she built a career as a journalist and writer with a strong interest in history and local culture.
Her best-known book today is Lincoln in Illinois (1918), a short study of Abraham Lincoln’s years in New Salem and Springfield. She also wrote With Lafayette in America and fiction including My Lady Valentine and The Perilous Isle, showing a range that stretched from historical subjects to storytelling.
Modern readers are most likely to encounter her through reprints and digital archives, including Project Gutenberg. Even now, her work stands out for making American history feel close, readable, and personal.