Howard Roscoe Driggs (1873–1963) was an American educator, historian, and author who dedicated much of his life to documenting and preserving the history of the American West. Born in Pleasant Grove, Utah, to Mormon pioneer parents, Driggs pursued higher education at Brigham Young Academy, the University of Utah, the University of Chicago, and New York University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1926. He enjoyed a long academic career, teaching at Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, and ultimately serving as an English professor at New York University from 1927 until his retirement in 1942.
Over his lifetime, Driggs authored or edited more than fifty books, including English textbooks, historical accounts, and at least seven novels. His literary career began in earnest with his first novel, Wild Roses: A Tale of the Rockies (1916). Many of his subsequent works drew directly from pioneer history and personal family narratives, such as Ben the Wagon Boy (1944), which was based on his father's life, and George, the Handcart Pioneer (1952). He also co-edited Ox-Team Days on the Oregon Trail with Ezra Meeker.
Beyond his fiction, Driggs is highly regarded by historians for his efforts to collect and preserve first-hand accounts of the Oregon Trail and the Pony Express. He served as president of the Oregon Trail Memorial Association and collaborated closely with artist and photographer William Henry Jackson. His landmark historical book, The Old West Speaks (1956), captured the public's imagination just as Westerns were rising in popularity on television. Driggs was also an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in various leadership and educational roles throughout his life.
