Eva Roe Gaggin (January 9, 1879 – May 7, 1966), also known as E. R. Gaggin, was an American children's book author. She won a

Newbery Honor The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

in 1942 for her book, ''

Down Ryton Water ''Down Ryton Water'' is a children's historical novel by Eva Roe Gaggin. It tells the story of the Separatists of Scrooby and the Pilgrim Fathers through the first-person narrative of young Matt Over. The novel, illustrated by Elmer Hader, was ...

''.

Life

Gaggin was born as Mary Eva Gourley on January 9, 1879, in

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen, Massachusetts, Methuen ...

. Her name was legally changed to Mary Eva Gourley Roe on March 18, 1890, when she was adopted by Syracuse University mathematics professor Edward Drake Roe, Jr. She grew up in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

, and began to write at a young age. Her first story won a prize from a Boston newspaper when she was 8 years old. In 1905, she graduated from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

with a

Bachelor of Philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; or or ) is the title of an academic degree in philosophy that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's degrees, the ...

. She married Edwin Hall Gaggin, an architect, on January 11, 1911. She had a child, named John Bridge Gaggin, that died on the day of his birth on July 23, 1919. In 1939, The Viking Press published her book ''An Ear for Uncle Emil'', which was about a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

girl and her doll.

Kate Seredy Kate Seredy (November 10, 1899 – March 7, 1975) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She won the Newbery Medal once, the Newbery Honor twice, the Caldecott Honor once, and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. Most of her bo ...

illustrated 83 drawings for the book. In 1941, Viking Press published her book ''Down Ryton Water'' about Pilgrims from the

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, reac ...

ship. The book contained drawings by Elmer Hader. Gaggin's book ''Down Ryton Water'' was awarded a

in 1942. Gaggin died on May 7, 1966, at her home.

Works

*''Jolly Animals'' (c. 1930) *''An Ear for Uncle Emil'' (1939), illustrated by

*''Down Ryton Water'' (1941) *''All Those Buckles'' (c. 1945), illustrated by Mildred Cloete

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaggin, Eva Roe American women children's writers Newbery Honor winners 1879 births 1966 deaths Syracuse University alumni American children's writers Writers from Lawrence, Massachusetts