Matilda (nicknames Mattie or Maty) Maranda Quackenbush was born in Clay, New York, near Syracuse, 21 July 1844.

[1][2] Gifted with an active and retentive memory, each bit of poetry she heard was remembered, and when but a child, she recited at one time the whole of Oliver Goldsmith 's The Deserted Village.

Quick to learn, by the age of twelve, she was at the head of her classes, but at this point, had not written a composition.

In 1887, an entire summer's illness afforded her leisure time for literary work, and thereafter, she wrote for the press again using various pen names, including "Maude Moore", "M. M.", and "Mrs. John Crawford".

[1][2] Crawford died of a stroke in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 24 December 1920, and was buried at Port Hope Union Cemetery.