author
1872–1940
Remembered as both a writer and an organizer, she brought together literary talent, women’s rights work, and early Girl Scout leadership. Her life also left behind a charming piece of childhood creativity: the elaborate paper doll’s house she made at age twelve.
by Sarah Elizabeth Birdsall Otis
Sarah Elizabeth Birdsall Otis Edey was an American author, poet, playwright, and suffragist, born in Bellport, Long Island, on June 25, 1872. Sources about her life describe her as active in New York City and Bellport, where she helped lead local and state woman suffrage efforts and hosted events to build support for the movement.
After women won the vote, she remained active in public life and became an early organizer in Girl Scouting, later serving as a president within the organization. Library and historical sources also note her writing career, and LibriVox lists her among authors whose work survives in the public domain.
She is also remembered for a remarkable youthful creation: at age twelve, she made an intricate paper doll’s house in book form, a work that was rediscovered and later published for modern readers. She died on March 17, 1940.