With credentials as impressive as those proffered by Terre Haute native Grace Hayward, it is surprising that she is not better known.

A talented actress and a vaudeville star, Hayward had her own repertory theater company and was a prolific playwright.

Yet, if Hayward accumulated great wealth, it was partially derived from proceeds received from a best-selling novel she did not write.

Hayward was born in Terre Haute on Jan. 30, 1868. Her father, George, was a mail carrier and a travel agent. The family resided at 228 N. Fourth St.

In 1884, while Hayward was attending high school, the family moved to Mount Carmel, Ill., where George and his wife, Alida, operated the Hayward House hotel.

Hayward was touring with theater companies by 1890. She returned to Terre Haute in 1892 for an appearance at the Naylor Opera House.

By that time, she may have been married. Richard Ferris, a native of Mount Carmel, asserted in an 1922 interview that he met Hayward in Terre Haute and that the couple resided here for awhile before he created "Ferris Comedies" and other touring road companies with headquarters in Kansas City, St. Louis, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The Library of Congress has posters portraying "Dick Ferris," "Ferris Comedies featuring Grace Hayward" and "Richard Ferris presents the Grace Hayward Co." in its archives. Ferris became a popular entertainer and emcee in Los Angeles.

In 1907, Hayward returned to Terre Haute for two weeks with her own New York theater company, which ended the season in June at the Grand Opera House. Several, if not all, of the plays presented during that stint were written by Hayward.

Between 1909 and 1914, Hayward resided in Oak Park, Ill., where she was "the popular leading lady" at the Warrington Opera House, employing "two maids and dressers."

She also was publishing plays. The most significant one was "Graustark: The Story of a Love Behind a Throne," a dramatization of the best-selling first novel by Hoosier author George Barr McCutcheon.

First published in 1901, "Graustark" was the most popular fiction book in America between 1901 and 1914. Surprisingly, author McCutcheon never owned the copyright. Publisher Herbert S. Stone & Co. of Chicago secured the first copyright but, in 1902, assigned it to "Grace Hayward."

The first edition had 15 printings, selling more than 100,000 copies in six months. Publisher Grosset & Dunlap issued an early edition illustrated with scenes from Hayward's play. According to "Golden Multitudes," by Frank Mott, the novel sold more than 1.5 million copies.

From 1909 to 1915, the rights were held by "Richard Ferris of Los Angeles."

George Hayward died in Mount Carmel on July 4, 1902, and was buried in Old Rosehill Cemetery there. Alida died on Sept. 13, 1912. By that time, Grace had married George Mahan Gatts, a native of Missouri, who was 16 years younger.

During 1910 and 1911, "Graustark" had prolonged engagements in New York and Chicago with its "60-foot car-load of scenic electrical and costume effects." Later, Australian composer Dudley Glass wrote the music and lyrics for "Melody of the Mountains," a musical romance based upon Hayward's dramatization.

Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne starred in the first silent film rendition of "Graustark" in 1915. Eugene O'Brien and Norma Talmadge were featured in a 1925 revival written by Frances Marion, the most renowned female screenwriter of her time.

In 1924, the rights to "Graustark" were held by Grace Hayward Gatts. Two years later, publisher Samuel French issued a collectible library edition of the play by "Mrs. Grace (Hayward) Gatts," with 74 color plates.

By that time, Hayward was considered one of America's leading playwrights. She had written "St. Elmo," based upon a novel by August Evans, in 1909 and "Truxton King," based upon one of McCutcheon's several sequels to "Graustark," in 1912. Both became motion pictures.

During the '20s and '30s, Hayward performed throughout the country in theaters and at chautauquas. "George M. Gatts" was the producer of her traveling theater entourage. Hayward's other writing credits include "Some Girl," "Her Unborn Child," "Steve," "Lend Me Your Baby," "Our Murder Mystery" "Ageless Woman," "Sweet Danger" and "Little Women."

"Her Unborn Child" opened March 5, 1928, at Etlinge's 42nd Street Theater on Broadway in New York City. Advance promotional data asserted that Hayward "has to her credit over 20 successfully produced plays."

"The CCC Murder Mystery" was especially written by Hayward without the need for scenery in 1936 to present to Civilian Conservation Corps camps. It was performed more than 1,000 times.

The Gatts retired to Los Angeles in about 1940. George died on April 8, 1949. Grace died there on Jan. 7, 1959, a few weeks short of her 91st birthday.