Maria I. Johnston

Maria I. Johnston (née, Barnett; after first marriage, Buck; after second marriage, Johnston; pen names, Paul Pry and Neal Caxton; May 3, 1835 – September 3, 1921) was an American author, journalist, editor and lecturer. She wrote many stories, long and short. In her stories, she dealt for the most part with life in the West and South, the conditions caused by war and slavery being considered. She was the author of The Siege of Vicksburg, The Freedwoman, Jane, Hector, Oh, Come with Me to the West, Love, Miss Emily's Glove, Ante-Bellum, and The Story of a Confederate Colonel. Johnston was active with newspaper work and was identified with newspapers in St. Louis, New Orleans, Vicksburg, and Memphis. At times, she wrote under the nom de plumes of "Paul Pry" and "Neal Caxton". She was advocate of and writer for woman suffrage.