Obituaries - Jan. 7, 1988

Mary Jane Carr; Author of Children’s Books

Mary Jane Carr, 92, whose book on pioneer life was turned into the 1956 Walt Disney film “Westward Ho! The Wagons.” Miss Carr was editing the children’s page for the Morning Oregonian in 1928 while also writing serial stories. Her second series, “Young Pioneers,” ran 14 months in the paper and in 1934 became her first book, “Children of the Covered Wagon.” The book became the choice of three national book clubs and also was sold in France and Yugoslavia. In 1949 she signed a contract with Walt Disney Productions to turn the book into the movie about pioneer adventure on the Oregon Trail. Her other children’s books included “Peggy and Paul and Laddy,” “Young Mac of Fort Vancouver”--a Newbery Award runner-up--and a book of verse for children, “Top of the Morning.” In Portland, on Monday.