About:
Born the third of five children in Cheetham, Manchester, England, Frances had a difficult childhood due to the untimely death of her father when she was three years old. In 1865, when she was 16, her family emigrated to the United States, settling in Tennessee. At 19 years old, Frances began writing stories for magazines to help earn money for her family, but her mother died shortly after in 1870.
Frances married Swan Burnett in September of 1873, and had two sons. Lionel in Sept. 1874, and Vivian some time later. At this time, Frances was the main income source for her family through her writing, as her husband Swan was in medical training. Frances and Swan Burnett later divorced in 1898 after Vivian graduated from Harvard.
After her family moved to Washington D.C., Frances began to publish more. After meeting Lousia May Alcott, she began writing children’s fiction. The subsequent publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy cemented her reputation as a writer of children’s books. While visiting Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887, Frances wrote the play Sara Crewe, which was later rewritten as a book with the title A Little Princess in 1905. The Secret Garden was later published in 1911.
Frances Burnett died in Nassau County in New York on Oct. 29th, 1924. Frances was preceded in death by her son Lionel, Dec. 1890, and followed by her son Vivian, who was buried near her in 1937.
Lived: Nov. 24th, 1849 – Oct. 29th, 1924 (aged 74)
Notable Works: The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess
Works in Public Domain: YES
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