Melville Davisson Post (1869–1930)

[from Find a Grave website]
Born Melville Davisson Post at Templemoor, near Raccoon Creek, West Virginia, the son of Ira and Florence Davisson Post. He earned a law degree from the University of West Virginia in 1892 and practiced law for 11 years. He then began writing short mystery stories that were picked up by magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, The Ladies Home Journal, and Hearst's. His early success – he was the most commercially successful magazine writer of his time - led him to leave his law practice in order to write full time. He and his wife were able to maintain a house they called The Chalet in Clarksburg, West Virginia where they kept a polo ground and ponies. He expanded into novels, developing several series characters including Randolph Mason whose first appearance was in The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason published in 1896; Uncle Abner whose first appearance was in Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries published in 1918; Sir Henry Marquis who first appeared in the The Sleuth of St. James Square published in 1920; and M. Jonquelle who appeared in Monsier Jonquelle, Prefect of Police of Paris published in 1923. He died at age 61 as a result of a fall from a horse. His home, The Chalet, burned shortly after his death.