Edward Sylvester Ellis

Edward Sylvester Ellis was a prolific American author who lived from 1840 to 1916. Here's a summary of his life and work:

Career:

• Teacher, school administrator, and journalist
• Wrote hundreds of books and magazine articles under his own name and numerous pen names

Famous Works:

• Fiction:
  • The Steam Man of the Prairies (considered a pivotal dime novel)
  • Seth Jones, or the Captives of the Frontier
  • The Deerfoot series (popular among young readers)
• Non-Fiction:
  • Biographies, including one on Thomas Jefferson
  • Popular history

Other Interesting Facts:

• Played a role in shaping the dime novel genre, a popular form of 19th-century fiction
• Also wrote stories with elements of science fiction and early aviation