Harry Lincoln Sayler (1863–1913) was an American journalist and novelist who spent much of his professional life in the Midwest. After graduating from DePauw University, he began his journalism career in Indianapolis in 1886. By 1889, he had relocated to Chicago, where he eventually rose to become the general manager of the City News Bureau of Chicago. Alongside his demanding career in news, Sayler was an avid historian, holding memberships in several historical societies and developing a particular expertise in the history of piracy.
Sayler is best remembered for his contributions to early twentieth-century juvenile fiction, particularly stories centering on the then-novel technology of aviation. Writing under his own name and several pseudonyms, he captured the imagination of young readers with tales of flight and adventure. He authored the Airship Boys series under his own name, the Aeroplane Boys series under the pen name Ashton Lamar, and the Boy Scouts of the Air series as Gordon Stuart.
Beyond aviation, Sayler contributed to other popular youth fiction of the era. Under the pseudonym Elliott Whitney, he wrote for the Boys' Big Game series, and he also worked as a ghostwriter for other popular youth series. His works reflected the technological optimism and adventurous spirit of the early 1900s, combining his journalistic eye for detail with a passion for exploration.
