author
Theodora R. (Theodora Robinson) Jenness
b. 1847
A 19th-century American writer for young readers, she blended adventure, everyday life, and years of missionary experience into stories that carried young characters across farms, frontiers, and the Dakota plains. Her work also reached magazines and serial publications, giving her a steady place in children’s literature of her era.
1 Audiobook
Big and Little Sisters: A Story of an Indian Mission School
by Theodora R. (Theodora Robinson) Jenness
About the author
Born in Greenwood, Maine, in 1847, Theodora R. Jenness grew into a writer, editor, and clubwoman whose career centered on literature for children and young readers. She published books from the late 1870s into the early 20th century, including Two Young Homesteaders, Piokee, and Above the Range.
Her life was shaped not only by writing but also by service. Sources consistently note that she spent many years doing missionary work in South Dakota, especially among the Cheyenne Sioux, and that those experiences informed some of her writing and perspective.
In addition to her books, she contributed short stories and serial fiction to magazines. She died on March 30, 1935. A suitable verified portrait image was not clearly available from the pages reviewed, so no profile image is included here.