Augusta Huiell Seaman

Augusta Huiell Seaman (1879-1950) was an American author of children's literature.

Augusta Huiell Seaman was born Augusta Curtiss Huiell in New York City, on April 3, 1879, the daughter of the bookkeeper John Valentine Huiell and his third wife, Anna Curtiss. Augusta's mother died in 1888.

She graduated from Normal College (later renamed Hunter College in New York City in 1900 and went on to teach elementary school. She married Robert Seaman in 1906. Following her marriage, she devoted her time to writing children's books.

Her only child, Helen Roberta (Bobbie) was born in 1915. Her husband Robert died in 1927. In 1928 she married her second husband, Francis Parkman Freeman, foreman of the Phipps estate in Island Beach, New Jersey, the setting for several of her later books. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00E17F83D591A7B93C7A9178DD85F448585F9&scp=1&sq=%22Augusta+Huiell+Seaman%22+%22island+beach%22&st=p "AUGUSTA SEAMAN, AUTHOR SINCE '07; Writer of Many Children's Books Dies at 71--Serials Appeared in St. Nicholas"] , "The New York Times", June 5, 1950. Accessed January 23, 2008.] While living in Island Beach, Augusta held various offices in the local government, including Borough clerk, Tax Collector, and Borough Registrar. [cite web|url=http://www.islandbeachnj.org/History/History.html|title=Island Beach State Park History]

Books

* "Jacqueline of the Carrier Pigeons" (1910)
* "When a Cobbler Ruled a King" (1911)
* "Little Mamselle of the Wilderness" (1913)
* "The Boarded-Up House" (1915)
* "The Sapphire Signet" (1916)
* "The Girl Next Door" (1917)
* "Three Sides of Paradise Green" (1918)
* "Melissa-Across-the-Fence" (1918)
* "The Slipper Point Mystery" (1919)
* "Americans All; Stories to Tell Boys and Girls of Ten to Twelve" (1919)
* "The Crimson Patch" (1920)
* "The Dragon's Secret" (1921)
* "The Mystery at Number Six" (1922)
* "Tranquility House" (1923)
* "Sally Simms Adventures It" (1924)
* "The Edge of Raven Pool" (1924)
* "Bluebonnet Bend" (1924)
* "The Secret of Tate's Beach" (1926)
* "The Adventure of the Seven Keyholes" (1926)
* "The Shadow on the Dial" (1927)
* "The Disappearance of Anne Shaw" (1928)
* "A Book of Mysteries: Three Baffling Tales" (1929)
* "The Charlemonte Crest: A Mystery of Modern Haiti" (1930)
* "The Brass Keys of Kenwick" (1931)
* "The House in Hidden Lane: Two Mysteries for Younger Girls" (1931)
* "The Stars of Sabra" (1932)
* "The Mystery of the Empty Room" (1933)
* "Bitsy Finds the Clue: A Mystery of Williamsburg, Old and New"' (1934)
* "The Riddle at Live Oaks" (1934)
* "The Figurehead of the 'Folly"' (1935)
* "The Strange Pettingill Puzzle: Two Mysteries for Boys and Girls" (1936)
* "Voice in the Dark" (1937)
* "The Pine Barrens Mystery" (1937)
* "The Vanderlyn Silhouette" (1938)
* "The Mystery at Linden Hall" (1939)
* "The Curious Affair at Heron Shoals" (1940)
* "The Missing Half" (1941)
* "The Case of the Calico Crab" (1942)
* "The Mystery of the Folding Key" (1943)
* "The Half-Penny Adventure" (1945)
* "The Mystery of the Other House" (1947)
* "The Vanishing Octant Mystery" (1949)

A few of Seaman's books have been reprinted, but many remain out of print. The rarest of her books are much sought after by collectors. Several of her novels were translated into Norwegian, Danish, and French.

References

ources

* [http://www.bookfever.com/Augusta_Huiell_Seaman/ Bookfever.com Book Fever used rare books magazines pulps for sale ] at www.bookfever.com