University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html



Guide to the Charles Alexander Papers, 1912-1962


Ax 006





Finding aid prepared by University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives

Finding aid encoded by Jenny Palm, October 2003
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

 
Collection Number:
 

Ax 006

 
Creator:
 

Alexander, Charles, 1897-1962

 
Title:
 

Charles Alexander Papers

 
Dates:
 

1912-1962 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

12 linear feet
8 containers

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Charles Alexander was a writer of popular fiction. The Collection consists of correspondence, literary manuscripts, reviews, notebooks, clippings, personal material, and miscellany. The majority of the correspondence is with family members, publishers, and other writers such as Ernest Haycox, Robert Ormond Case, and Albert Wetjen. The reviews are for Alexander's books: Bobbie, a great collie, The fang in the forest, and The Splendid summits. The Manuscripts section is the largest, containing materials for over 200 short stories by Alexander. Many of these stories have at least one manuscript draft. Others are represented only by the published version; these are marked with an asterisk (*) in the inventory. Alternate titles for the stories are given in brackets after the official title. There are also manuscripts for the novels The fang in the forest and The splendid summits. A collection of paperback books by other authors (collected by Charles Alexander) is housed separately.

 

Biographical Note

Charles Dewey Alexander (1897-1962) was born in Ponca, Nebraska on October 27, 1897. At the age of two, he moved to the Albany, Oregon area with his parents. He attended Albany schools and began working in the printing trade as a teenager, first in his brother's printing shop, then with the Albany Democrat newspaper.

Alexander was an avid reader and wanted to give local writers an opportunity to see their writings in print. In cooperation with the Democrat's publishers, W.L. Jackson and R.R. Cronise, he edited a Sunday edition featuring works by Linn County writers.

Alexander began writing short stories while working at the Democrat. His first story was accepted by Black Cat, a "pulp" magazine. in 1922, he won the Attorney Short Story Prize for "As a Dog Should," published in Collier's magazine. The story told of a dog who dies while saving his master from a bear attack. In all, around 200 short stories by Alexander were published in magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, Detective Fiction Weekly, Ace-High Detective Magazine, Blue Book Magazine and Sunset.

In addition to short stories, Alexander published several novels, including Fang in the Forest and Bobbie, a Great Collie, a true-life story about a collie's 1,000+ mile journey to find his master, from whom he had become separated on a cross country trip. He also wrote "Abel and Ailse," a Pacific Northwest historical sketch published as a series of articles in Collier's.

Alexander, also an expert linotype operator, retired as a full-time worker from the Democrat after 50 years in February 1962. He continued to edit and write a book review column for the Democrat until his death in July 1962. His wife, Margaret Smith, whom he married in 1917, had died in 1958.

Sources: Obituary, Albany Democrat-Herald, July, 1962

Sources: Editorial, Albany Democrat-Herald, July 3, 1962

Content Description

The Charles Alexander papers consist of correspondence; manuscripts; reviews; notebooks; clippings; personal material; and miscellany. The majority of the correspondence is with family members, publishers, and other writers such as Ernest Haycox, Robert Ormond Case, and Albert Wetjen. The reviews are for Alexander's books: Bobbie, A Great Collie, The Fang in the Forest, and The Splendid Summits.

The Manuscripts section is the largest, containing material for over 200 short stories by Alexander. Many of these stores have at least one manuscript draft. Others are represented only by the published version; these are marked with an asterisk (*) in the inventory. Alternate titles for the stores are given in brackets after the official title. There are also manuscripts for the novels The Fang in the Forest and The Splendid Summits.

NOTE: A collection of paperback books by other authors (collected by Charles Alexander) is housed separately.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series: Series I. Correspondence-General; Series II. Correspondence-Family; Series III. Reviews; Series IV. Miscellaneous; Series V. Manuscripts.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Charles Alexander Papers, Ax 006, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Alexander, Charles, 1897-1962--Archives
Case, Robert Ormond, 1895-1964--Correspondence
Haycox, Ernest, 1899-1950--Correspondence
Wetjen, Albert Richard, 1900-1948--Correspondence
Authors, American--20th century
Journalists--Oregon--Albany
Printers--Oregon--Albany
Manuscripts for publication

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Series I:  Correspondence-General

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1
folder
2

A miscellaneous
 
 
3
Alexander, A.E.
  1939 1940
 
3.5
Alexander, Andre
 
 
4
Alexander, Don
  1935-1938
 
5
Alexander, Thomas L.
  1917-1922 1926 1936
 
6
Alexander, Thomas S.
  1912-1922
 
7
Alexander, William D. (Bill)
  1916 1921 1939 1940
 
8
The American Magazine
  1922 1923
 
9
Arthur, Merril
  1922-1923
 
10
B miscellaneous
 
 
11
Beeson, A.L.
  1915 1917
 
12
Black Cat Magazine
  1918-1920
 
13
Blackburn, Irma G.
 
 
14
Brandt & Brandt (Brandt & Kirkpatrick)
  1922-1928 1931 1951
 
15
Brown, Bettina
  1927 1932 1939 1940
 
16
Brown, M.J.
  1923 1924
 
17
C miscellaneous
 
 
18
Case, Robert Ormond
 
 
19
Cheney, Janet
  1940
 
20
Clarke, Frances E.
  1929 1930
 
21
Collier's
  1922 1923 1926 1938 1939
 
22
Collins, Dean
  1931
 
23
Corning, Howard McKinley
 
 
24
The Country Gentleman
  1921 1930
 
25
D Miscellaneous
 
 
26
Detective Fiction Weekly
  1932-1934 1936
 
27
Dodd, Mead and Company Inc.
  1923-1939
 
28
Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc.
  1928 1929 1931-1934
 
29
E Miscellaneous
 
 
30
Eddy, Ivaloo Pearl
  1925
 
31
The Editor
  1919 1921 1923
 
32
F Miscellaneous
 
 
33
G Miscellaneous
 
 
34
Gray, Charles Wright
  1924
 
35
H Miscellaneous
 
 
36
Haycox, Ernest
  1922 1923 1929 1930 1939
 
37
Hedges, Ada H.
  1925 1939
 
38
Hoag, Mrs. Dwight A.
  1921
 
39
Hodgkins, Whitney
  1919 1925
 
40
Hotchliss, John T.
  1922 1923 1928
 
41
Hunn, Alexander
  1924 1930
 
42
I Miscellaneous
 
 
43
J Miscellaneous
 
 
44
Judy (Magazine)
  1919
 
45
K Miscellaneous
 
 
46
Kidd, Walter Evans
  1921 1922 1939 1961 1962
 
47
Kropp, Leo
  1915 1940
 
48
L Miscellaneous
 
 
49
The Lariat
  1923 1924
 
50
Lichtig and Englander
  1926 1933
 
51
Linn Ringneck Ranch
  1915-1917
 
52
Linn Ringneck Ranch
  1919-1922
 
53
M Miscellaneous
 
 
54
McKinney, Ernest
  1914-1919 1922
 
55
Marks, Willard L.
  1938 1939
 
56
Marshall, Edison
  1922 1923 1954
 
57
Metzger, Gus W.
  1918-1920 1922
 
58
Michelson, Fridtjof
  1925 1926 1931-1934 1938 1940 1941
 
59
Morgan, Mrs. M.D.
  1920 1921
 
60
The Frank A. Munsey Company
  1918 1932 1937 1941
 
61
N Miscellaneous
 
 
62
O Miscellaneous
 
 
63
Oregon Audubon Society
  1913
 
64
Oregon State Library
  1923 1932
 
65
Oregon State System of Higher Education
  1929 1936 1939-1941
 
66
The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon)
  1919
 
67
Outdoor Life
  1916 1924
 
68
P Miscellaneous
 
 
69
The People's Home Journal
  1921
 
70
Phelps, Guy Fitch and Naomi
  1922 1925 1926 1931 1935
 
71
Phillips, Clarence B.
  1936 1937 1939 1940
 
72
The Popular Magazine
  1919 1920
 
73
R Miscellaneous
 
 
74
Ray, Mrs. G.H.
  1938 1940
 
75
Red Book Magazine
  1921-1923
 
76
Richardson, Anna Steese
  1922 1923
 
77
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
  1951
 
78
Roesner, Oscar H.
  1922 1931 1933
 
79
Rowe, Kenneth
  1924 1925
 
80
S Miscellaneous
 
 
81
Samalman, Alexander
  1922 1923
 
82
Sanders and Conroy, Literary Agents
  1934-1941
 
83
Saturday Evening Post
  1920 1921 1928-1930
 
84
Schaad, Gilbert T.
  1928 1938 1939
 
85
Scholastic (magazine)
  1933
 
86
Shawe, Victor
  1923
 
87
Small, Maynard & Company
  1922
 
88
Frederick A. Stokes Company, Publishers
  1922 1923
 
89
Sundquist, ?
  1921
 
90
Sunset (magazine)
  1923 1924 1926
 
2 1
T Miscellaneous
 
 
2
Thatcher, W.F.G.
  1922
 
3
University of Oregon
  1922 1923 1926 1929
 
4
V Miscellaneous
 
 
5
W Miscellaneous
 
 
6
Wayside Tales and Cartoons Magazine
  1921
 
7
Wetjen, Albert Richard
  1922-1926
 
8
Zimmerman, Walter
  1912-1913
 
9
Unknown Correspondent (dated)
 
 
9 10
Unknown Correspondent (undated)
 

 

Series II:  Correspondence-Family

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
2
folder
11

Alexander, Margaret Smith (Letters from her and Charles Alexander before their marriage)
  1913-1916
 
12
Alexander, Margaret (Letters from her father and sister)
  1913-1918
 
13
Alexander, Margaret (Letters from Charles Alexander while she was in Salem, Oregon hospital)
  1957
 
14
Alexander, Charles (Letters from)
  1917 1940

 

Series III:  Reviews

 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
2
folder
15

Bobbie, A Great Collie (includes additional material)
 
 
16
The Fang in the Forest
 
 
17
The Splendid Summits
 

 

Series IV:  Miscellaneous

 
Container(s)
Description
 
box
2
folder
18

Notebooks
 
 
19
Clippings
 
 
folder
20
box
2

Record Book (Margaret Alexander)
 
 
box
2
folder
21

Personal Material
 
 
22
Miscellaneous
 

 

Series V:  Manuscripts

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
2
folder
23

"The Accident" ["To the Left"; "The Dark Coast"] 2 drafts
 
 
24
"Across the Chasm" 1 draft. Blue Book Magazine p.121-126
  March 1922
 
25
"Adam's Father" 1 draft
 
 
26
"Affair of the Fabulous Peasants" Detective Fiction Weekly, vol. 126, no. 2 p.63-84 (*)
  February 18, 1939
 
27
"Arrow Indicates Murder" 1 draft
 
 
28
"Black-Fire Murder" Detective Fiction Weekly vol. 86, no. 4 p. 78-87
  July 28, 1934
 
29
"A Badgered Badger Game" 1 draft
 
 
30
"Bed Rock" 1 draft
 
 
31
"Bill Bogan Tames a Pet" ["Bill's Scenario by Williams," "Bogan Swears Agin' Swearigen"] 1 draft, West, vol. 33, no. 4 p. 73-80
  May 11, 1932
 
32
"Black Creek Brinestone" ["The Black Crick Killer," "Whistle Killer"] 1 draft. Ace High Detective Magazine, vol. 1, no. 2 p. 45-55
  September 1936
 
33
"The Black Thread of Death" ["Trume's Woman"] 1 draft.
 
 
34
"The Blonde She of Yachats" Blue Book Magazine p. 155-160 (*)
  January 1922
 
35
"Blue Sashoo" ["Your Way, My Way"] 3 drafts.
 
 
36
"Bobbie, a Great Collie" [serial] Everygirls: The Magazine of the Camp Fire Girls
  March-June 1928
 
37
"Broom Lights" West, vol. 31, no. 5, p. 109-114 (*)
  December 9, 1931
 
38
"The Breath of Morning" Judy no. 3 p. 28-30 (*)
  1919
 
39
"Bucks That Play Possum" 1 draft. Outdoor America, vol. 4, no. 4, p. 5-6, 43, 47
  November 1925
 
40
"Bullet-Hole Business" 1 draft. Detective Fiction Weekly, vol. 82, no. 2, p. 127-137
  January 27, 1934
 
41
"The Cape Cave Mystery" Detective Fiction Weekly, vol. 120, no. 2, p. 70-97 (*)
  June 11, 1938
 
42
"The Cats of Upper Soda" ["The Four Forests"] 3 drafts. West, vol. 25, no. 3, p. 105-111
  June 25, 1930
 
3 1
"Chief Old Socks Into Big Deer" 1 draft
 
 
2
"Children of Storm" ["Forest Storm"] 1 draft. Blue Book Magazine p. 27-31
  December 1922
 
3
"Children of Twilight" The Black Cat, vol. 24, no. 7 p. 3-7 Includes a copy of The Black Cat containing a letter about "Children of Twilight" (*)
  May 1919 August 1919
 
4
"Claws of the Killer" 1 draft. Detective Fiction Weekly, vol. 92, no. 2. p. 117-126
  March 23, 1935
 
5
"Crown Fire" ["Red Enemy"] 4 drafts. Sunset, vol. 60, no. 5 p. 20-23, 60-62
  May 1928
 
6
"Daniel in the Lion's Den" ["In the Valley of the Shot Pouch", "The Woman From Siletz"] 1 draft.