Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was born in Manchester, England, on November 24, 1849. Her mother moved to Knoxville, Tenessee in 1865. Miss Hodgson began writing for magazines soon after. Her first widely-known story appeared in "Scribner's Magazine" in 1872.
Frances married Dr. L. M. Burnett of Washington D.C. in 1873. In 1898 she divorced Dr. Burnett and married Mr. Stephen Townsend in 1900.
Her reputation as a novelist was made with her story of Lancashire life, That Lass o' Lowrie's. A number of other works followed, with Through One Administration and A Lady of Quality as the most notable.
In 1886 she published the Little Lord Fauntleroy, which was dramatized during her life and (now safely out of copyright) continues as videos and movies. Her children's books, including the marvelous Secret Garden and Sara Crew (later rewritten to become: A Little Princess) are what she is best known for today, but her romance novels were very popular during her lifetime.
