Thornton W. Burgess

Thornton W. Burgess (1874-1965), American author, naturalist and conservationist, wrote popular children's stories including the Old Mother West Wind (1910) series. He would go on to write more than 100 books and thousands of short-stories including his newspaper column "Bedtime Stories" during his lifetime.

Thornton Waldo Burgess was born on 14 January 1874 in Sandwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. His mother was Caroline F. Haywood. His father, a traveling salesman, Thornton Waldo Burgess Sr. died when Thornton Jr. was an infant. No doubt the watery and rugged environs of the Cape and his exposure to the wildlife of the area created a lasting impression on Burgess when he was young. He spent much time exploring the flora and fauna, fishing and picking berries. When he was working to help support himself and his mother, one of his employers owned property near the Discovery Hill Road wildlife habitat which would become the inspiration for such future settings as Smiling Pool and Old Briar Patch.