Mary Mapes Dodge was born Mary Elizabeth Mapes on January 26, 1831 in New York City. She was educated by private tutors. In 1851, she married William Dodge and had two sons. In 1858, William, suffering serious financial problems left his family and disappeared. He was found dead from drowning a month later.
In 1859, Mary began publishing two magazines with her father and found success writing, writing her classic novel, "Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates" in 1865, which became an instant bestseller. As time went on, she became editor of another magazine with Harriet Beecher Stowe, then became chief editor for "St. Nicholas Magazine" getting Robert Louis Stevenson, Louisa May Alcott and Mark Twain to contribute stories. She was able to make it the most successful children's magazine of the time.
Dodge died on August 21, 1905, at the age of 74, in Tannersville, New York. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside, New Jersey.
