Kate Douglas Wiggin was a famous late 19th century author. Born on September 28, 1856, she was known as both an author and an educator. Her best known work is the classic children's book Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. It has been made into several films and was even a play on Broadway.
Although she loved children, Kate never had any herself. Like Jackson she was born back East (in Pennsylvania rather than Massachusetts) and spent productive time in California. While in San Francisco, California she started a kindergarten. It was the first free one in the city. She and her sister even established a school that provided training for kindergarten teachers.
Wiggins, also like Jackson, devoted herself to a cause. However, her cause was the welfare of children (this was at a time when child labor was still prevalent). Although the two authors were acquainted, they were not close friends. It is quite probable, however, that they were admirers of each other.
Appropriately enough, Kate's summer home in Maine is now the Hollis town library. She died in 1923 at the age of 66 while traveling in England.
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