Stratemeyer, Edward

Stratemeyer, Edward

(born Oct. 4, 1862, Elizabeth, N.J., U.S.—died May 10, 1930, Newark, N.J.) U.S. writer of popular juvenile fiction. He began writing stories in imitation of Horatio Alger and other adventure writers, and he later edited several publications and began writing series of books. In 1906 he founded the Stratemeyer Literary Syndicate, which would publish the Rover Boys, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins, and Nancy Drew series, written by himself and a stable of hack writers under a variety of names. After his death his company was largely directed by his daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (1893?–1982), who also wrote many books in several series.