Paul Leicester Ford

Born in Brooklyn on March 23, 1865, he was an American novelist, biographer, editor, and bibliographer whose work ranged from historical scholarship to bestselling fiction. He came from a notably literary family: his mother was a granddaughter of Noah Webster, and his father was the collector Gordon Lester Ford.

Despite a short life, he was remarkably productive. He edited important historical materials, wrote biographies, and published novels including The Honorable Peter Stirling and Janice Meredith, the latter becoming especially well known. His writing often drew on American history, blending careful research with an accessible storytelling style.

His life ended in New York City on May 8, 1902, when he was killed by his brother. Even so, his reputation has endured through both his historical work and his fiction, which together show an author equally interested in the American past and in the possibilities of the popular novel.