Mary Ellen Chase (24 February 1887 – 28 July 1973) was an American educator, teacher, scholar, and author.

Early inspiration to become a writer came from her grandmother's stories of her grandfather's decade as a ship's captain, as well as a meeting at age 10 with novelist Sarah Orne Jewett, who encouraged her.

During this time, she also taught at schools in Buck's Harbor, Maine, Chicago, and Montana, before serving as an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota from 1922 to 1926.

She was the lifelong companion of Eleanor Duckett, a medieval scholar whom she met at Smith, and with whom she lived in Northampton until her death.

Her most famous of these works include Mary Peters, Silas Crockett, Windswept, and Edge of Darkness.