In this 1924 photo, an 87-year-old woman sits quietly with a gentle smile—her name is Laura Hawkins Frazer. But to millions of readers worldwide, she’s better known by another name: Becky Thatcher.
Born in 1837 in Kentucky, Laura moved to Hannibal, Missouri, as a young girl. Just across the street lived a mischievous boy named Samuel Clemens—the boy who would grow up to be Mark Twain. The two were childhood playmates and, yes, even sweethearts in the innocent way children often are.
Life went on. Laura married Dr. James Frazer, raised two sons, and lived quietly. Then, in 1876, she opened a book called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Page by page, her childhood came alive again—especially the spirited, golden-haired girl named Becky. She recognized the world Twain had written… and quietly knew she had inspired it.
Still, she never spoke loudly about their connection. Fame didn’t interest her. But in 1908, she visited Twain in Connecticut. They laughed about old times, and he confirmed what she had always suspected: She was his Becky.
Laura lived to be 91, passing away in 1928. She’s buried just outside Hannibal—still close to the boy who, long ago, made her immortal in ink.
Sometimes, the truest legends don’t seek the spotlight. They live on in the stories we share forever.