Minor Characters in Samantha's Series

These are minor characters in the Samantha stories.

Ruth Adams
One of Samantha's school friends.

Miss Brennan
The head of a settlement house in New York City. She calls Nellie 'Miss Nellie O'Malley-All-Mended" because of the way she was able to dissemble and reassemble things to repair them. She knew Nellie before she moved in with the Edwards and is pleased to see that Nellie's life has improved. She is a brisk and bossy, but cheerful and warm. She is rarely found in her office and can be found in various places all over the settlement house and enjoys a variety of classes (she is first located in a singing class). Her parents died when she was young and she went to Clark School to learn to be a teacher. She comes from the same Irish background as Nellie and gives her an Irish coin in payment for fixing her clock to remind her of her family's past.

When she first meets Cornelia and Samantha, she greets them warmly. She enjoys Cornelia's help at the settlement house. When Uncle Mike comes to the house trying to seek information about Nellie, she gives him a piece of her mind before sending him off. She and Nellie share Irish tea and Nellie first confesses about Uncle Mike to her and her unhappiness at school. She tells Nellie that she has to make a decision on her own about where to take her life, regardless of Uncle Mike, and to choose the future she wants. She inadvertently gives Nellie information about Clark School and prompts her to write the letter. Later she helps Cornelia locate a school that Nellie would prefer.

She both inspires Nellie to become a teacher (and takes it as a great compliment) and gives her sound advice about taking control of her life regardless of her home life.

Ida Dean
Samantha's school friend. She is holding a large Christmas party in Samantha's Surprise.

Marguerite DuBois
A French girl who attends Samantha's school. Her mother is a French teacher at a nearby boys' school and she is looked down upon for being lower-middle-class. Marguerite is a skilled ballerina and performs at a talent show in Samantha's Special Talent.

Edith Eddleton
A snobby well to do girl. She is first seen in Samantha Learns a Lesson looking down on Samantha playing with Nellie. She makes it into the speaking contest with Samantha with a speech about machines; however, Samantha's speech wins.

William Edwards
The late husband of Mary Edwards and father of Lydia and Gardner. He died before the start of the series; there is no indication he was alive when Samantha's parents died or that he helped raise Samantha. His grandson William Parkington is named after him.

Miss Frouchy
The matron of Cold Rock House. She is a portly woman who believes orphans should learn to care for themselves and respect their betters. She takes away the nice things that Cornelia and Samantha give Nellie and decides to put Nellie on the orphan train which prompts their running away.

In the film she is given a more integral part. She is much more harsh and cold but sweet faced to the rich donators of the orphanage. She is actually taking money from the donations for personal use; when Nellie and Samantha see this and run, she accuses them of theft and that Samantha has stolen her dear girls. She comes to the Edwards house and tries to accuse Samantha but is sent away by Gertrude. She is later removed as the head of Cold Rock House when her cruelty and theft are revealed.

Gertrude
Gertrude is the maid to Gardner and Cornelia Edwards. She discovers Nellie O'Malley and her sisters in the attic and reports this to the Edwards. She seems put upon that she has to be the servants to girls of her station once they are taken in by the Edwards.

In the movie she is given a much calmer personality and drives Miss Frouchy away when she comes to accuse Samantha.

Lincoln
Jessie's husband, who works as a porter on a train that runs from New York to New Orleans. He brings back postcards and candies as well as tales and descriptions of the city that seem exotic to Samantha.

In Meet Samantha, he finds Samantha and Nellie tangled up after they startle Jessie peering into the window and laughs upon finding them. After Jessie cleans up the girls and explains that because of their newborn son she must stop working for Grandmary, he escorts the two girls home so they aren't caught.

Louisa
A well-off girl in Samantha and Nellie's school. She hates the gym bloomers and wants to toss them over the edge of a hot air balloon. She is going on a ride in one for her birthday. She got a pony for her eighth birthday and wants to be a dancer like Isadora Duncan.

Nathaniel
Jessie's infant son. He is the reason that Jessie quits working for Grandmary because Jessie needs to stay home and watch him; when Jessie comes back, she brings Nathaniel with her. In Samantha's Surprise, Samantha has written and illustrated a picture book for him.

William Samuel Parkington
William Samuel Parkington is the infant son of Gardner Edwards and Cornelia Edwards. Cornelia informs Samantha, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny that she is pregnant at the end of The Curse of Ravenscourt. William is born before the events of The Cry of the Loon. Cornelia and Gardner named him after Samantha's grandfather William and Samantha (however, since Samantha is a girl's name, it was changed to Samuel). Samantha thinks the name is large for such a small baby. Samantha asked Gardner if he was going to call the baby Sam since that was his nickname for her; Gard assures her that the baby will probably be called William.

For a birthday gift to Grandmary, Cornelia and Gardner give a picture of the three of them together.

Alice Pitt
Alice Pitt is Cornelia, Agnes, and Agatha Pitt's younger sister. She is three years old and wants to do what her older twin sisters do and play with them. She is fond of hide and seek.

In Samantha Saves the Wedding, she ruins Cornelia's veil by chopping it up to play "bride".

In the movie, a character similar to Alice is cast but is called "Agatha." She destroys Cornelia's veil by accidentally catching it to a heating curling iron over open flame and setting it afire.

Eloise Raven
Horace Raven's daughter. She only appears in The Curse of Ravenscourt. Eloise mentions that she went to the same school as Cornelia.

Horace Raven
The owner of Ravenscourt, a hotel in New York City. He only appears in The Curse of Ravenscourt.

Mrs. Ryland
Mrs. Ryland is Eddie Ryland's mother. She has a rasping voice. She initially hired Nellie O'Malley as a worker, but sent her back because she wasn't healthy. When Nellie's family is hired by Mrs. Van Sicklen, she thinks that it's a disgrace for the family to live there and questions Samantha spending time with the girls.

Miss Stevens
Samantha's teacher at Miss Crampton's Academy for Girls. In the movie, she tries to disqualify Samantha after the speech contest for having changed her speech from her original submission.

Tissie
A girl in Samantha and Nellie's school in New York City. She went on a hot air balloon ride for her eighth birthday. She wants to marry a duke like Consuelo Vanderbilt when she is older and live in a castle. She is clearly from a well to do family.

Mrs. Van Sicklen
The woman who hires the O'Malleys as a family. She hires the whole family to work for her. She is a larger character in Samantha and the Missing Pearls. When Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley die, she sends Nellie and her sisters away.

Mrs. VanVorst
The teacher of the kindergarten classes at the settlement house; described as stout and kindly.

Helen Whitney
One of Samantha's classmates. In Samantha Learns a Lesson, she passes a note to Samantha asking, "What the dickens does la gorge mean?" Samantha tries to tell her the throat through hints, but she mistakenly says "neck."