Sarah Orne Jewett was born in Maine on September 3, 1849, and grew up in the small town of South Berwick, where she was to spend the principle part of her life. Ill health prevented her from fulfilling her ambition to become a doctor; she turned to writing instead. Her first story was published when she was eighteen, and her literary production continued unabated until a crippling carriage accident in 1902 ended her creative career. She died on June 24, 1909, leaving behind a remarkable literary legacy.
