The Mysterious Disappearance of Child Author Barbara Follett

Early Life and Literary Prodigy

• 💡 Barbara Follett was born in 1914 and displayed exceptional intelligence from a young age.
• ✍️ By age nine, she had written her first book, "The House Without Windows," which she famously rewrote from memory after a house fire destroyed the original manuscript.
• 🌟 Published at age 12, her book received critical acclaim, with some calling her a "child genius," though concerns were raised about the impact of early fame on her childhood.
• 🚢 At 13, Barbara embarked on a journey as a cabin boy on a schooner, later publishing her second book, "The Voyage of Normandy."

Personal Struggles and Shifting Fortunes

• 💔 Her father's departure and financial instability deeply affected Barbara, leading to a period of hardship during the Great Depression where she took on secretarial work.
• ✈️ Despite these challenges, she continued to travel and write, including a significant hike on the Appalachian Trail and travels through Europe.
• 💍 Barbara married Nickerson Rogers in 1934, changing her name to Barbara Rogers, and eventually stopped writing.
• 📉 A marital crisis, including Nick's request for a divorce due to another woman, led to Barbara's distress and reliance on sleeping pills.

The Disappearance and Lingering Questions

• 🚶‍♀️ On December 7th, 1939, after an argument with Nick, Barbara left their Brooklyn apartment with only $30 and notes, and was never seen again.
• ❓ Nick's delayed reporting of her disappearance (two weeks) and his initial request for no publicity raised suspicions.
• 🔍 Despite a police bulletin being issued in April 1940, the case received little press attention, partly due to the use of her married name.
• 📚 Her mother, Helen, later published an essay and, with an expert, a book about Barbara's life and writings, attempting to shed light on the mystery.

The Holderness Remains and Unresolved Theories

• 🦴 In 1948, human remains were discovered in Holderness, New Hampshire, initially speculated to be those of Elsie Whitmore, another missing woman.
• 🧐 Author Daniel Mills proposed these remains could be Barbara's, citing updated height estimation methods and Barbara's familiarity with the Holderness area, where she and Nick had rented a farmhouse.
• ⚖️ Nick Rogers eventually obtained a divorce in 1944 on the grounds of desertion, having remarried later.
• 🤔 Theories surrounding Barbara's fate include foul play (potentially involving Nick), running away to start a new life, or suicide, with the mystery deepened by the lost case file and lack of definitive identification of the remains.
• ❓ The case remains unsolved, with the possibility that the remains could belong to Barbara, Elsie, or another unknown individual, leaving a profound mystery surrounding her disappearance.