Johnston, Mary: - "Mary Johnston (November 21, 1870 - May 9, 1936) was a Virginia novelist and women's rights activist. During her writing career, she was one of America's best-selling authors, and three of her novels were made into silent pictures. Johnston was also a member of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, where she used her literary abilities and celebrity to bring attention to the cause of women's suffrage in Virginia. Mary Johnston was born in the small village of Buchanan, Virginia, the eldest child of American Civil War hero John William Johnston and Elizabeth Dixon Alexander Johnston. She was schooled at home by family and tutors due to her recurrent illness. She grew up with a passion for literature and was financially secure enough to devote her time to writing."