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Classic Authors: L. Frank Baum

© Susan Jensen

Like the characters he created–Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and others–L. Frank Baum traveled a long road to reach his goals. Along the way, he encountered physical illness, bankruptcy, rejection and failure. However, like any hero, he triumphed in the end. Today, audiences still read and enjoy his fairy tales, proving L. Frank Baum to be a master of storytelling.

Lyman Frank Baum was born to Benjamin and Cynthia Ann Stanton Baum on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York. He took his place as the seventh of nine children born to his parents. Only five of those children lived to be adults.

At the time of Frank's birth, Benjamin Baum worked as a cooper, a manufacturer of barrels. However, when gold was discovered nearby, he quickly learned the oil business, in which he proceeded to make his fortune. Cynthia, a devout Episcopalian of Scotch-Irish descent, schooled her children in observance of the Sabbath and devotion to God. The family enjoyed a happy existence which revolved around friends, family and church.

Since birth, Frank suffered from heart trouble. Frail and sickly, he stayed close to home, receiving his education from a private tutor. Once he learned to read, he could be found in his father's study, devouring volumes by Dickens and Thackeray. He also enjoyed fairy tales, although he found that he didn't enjoy the presence of witches and other frightful creatures that often popped up in the stories. He vowed that someday he would write fairy tales that would not frighten young readers.

For his fourteenth birthday, Frank received a small printing press. Inspired, he and his younger brother began publishing a neighborhood newspaper. The journal boasted poetry, articles, editorials and word puzzles. He also earned money by printing signs, stationery and program. When he was 17, Frank started another paper, The Empire, and a magazine for stamp collectors. As he grew into an adult, he worked at a variety of positions, including salesman, reporter, owner of a print shop, director of a chain of opera houses, and actor.

Family and friends found him charming and delightful. He loved to tell and hear stories, and some even said he himself could not distinguish reality from events he had only imagined. Practical jokes and word games also enchanted him. In 1881, Frank's charm won him the attention of Maud Gage. Maud, who roomed with Frank's cousin at Cornell, was the daughter of a well-known feminist. Mrs. Gage did not approve of the marriage, and only relented when Maud informed her that the marriage would continue despite her protests. The wedding took place on November 9, 1882.