Career Gene Stratton-Porter

1 career

1.1 author

1.1.1 years
1.1.2 novels
1.1.3 nature books
1.1.4 magazine articles
1.1.5 children s stories , poetry


1.2 nature photographer
1.3 naturalist , conservationist
1.4 movie producer

career

gene stratton-porter

while marriage charles porter provided financial security , personal independence, gene sought additional roles beyond of wife , mother. took writing in 1895 outlet self-expression , means earn own income. stratton-porter felt long work did not interfere needs of family, free pursue own interests. began literary career observing , writing birdlife of upper wabash river valley , nature had seen during visits limberlost swamp, less mile home in geneva, indiana. limberlost swamp, limberlost cabin @ geneva, , after 1913, cabin @ wildflower woods @ sylvan lake in northeastern indiana became laboratories nature studies , inspiration short stories, novels, essays, photography, , movies.

stratton-porter wrote twenty-six books included twelve novels, 8 nature studies, 2 books of poetry, , 4 collections of stories , children s books. of fifty-five books selling 1 million or more copies between 1895 , 1945, 5 of them novels written stratton-porter. among stratton-porter’s best-selling novels freckles (1904), girl of limberlost (1909), harvester (1911), laddie (1913), , michael o halloran (1915). stratton-porter incorporated every day occurrences , acquaintances works of fiction. many of works delve difficult subject matter such themes of abuse, prostitution, , abandonment. in case of father s daughter (1921), anti-asian sentiment writing reflected prevalent in united states during era. other writing introduced concept of land , wildlife conservation readers.

although stratton-porter preferred focus on nature books, romantic novels gained fame , wealth. these generated income allowed pursue nature studies. novels have been translated twenty-three languages, braille. @ peak in 1910s, readership estimated @ 50 million, earnings literary works estimated @ $2 million.

author
early years

stratton-porter began career in 1895, when sent nature photographs had made recreation magazine. first published article, new experience in millinery, appeared in publication s february 1900 issue. article described concerns harming birds in order use feathers hat trims. @ magazine s request, stratton-porter wrote photography column called camera notes. in july 1901 switched doing similar work outing, natural history magazine. stratton-porter submitting short stories , nature-related material magazines on regular basis increasing success. first short story, laddie, princess, , pie, published in metropolitan magazine in september 1901. attract wider audience stratton porter decided include fictional elements in nature writing , began writing novels. stratton-porter s writing included poetry , children s stories, in addition essays , editorials published in magazines nationwide circulation such mccall s , housekeeping.

novels

although published anonymously in 1893, circumstantial evidence suggests stratton-porter s first book strike @ shane s. however, stratton-porter never acknowledged had written , author never revealed.

bobbs-merrill published first, full-length attributed novel, song of cardinal (1903), red bird living along wabash river. book explained how birds lived in wild , included photographs. although novel modest commercial success , warmly received literary critics, stratton-porter s publisher believed nature stories not become popular romance novels. second novel, stratton-porter decided combine nature , romance. freckles (1904), published doubleday, page , company, became bestseller. book s popularity among readers helped launch career successful novelist, despite lackluster reviews critics.

title page

a girl of limberlost (1909), highly successful , best-known work, brought worldwide recognition. central character, elnora comstock, lonely, poverty-stricken girl living on farm in adams county, goes limberlost swamp escape troubles , earns money pay education collecting , selling moth specimens. main character s strong, individualistic nature similar stratton-porter s. literary critics called novel written , wholesome story. initial sales of third novel, @ foot of rainbow (1907), 2 friends enjoy fishing , trapping, disappointing, stratton-porter reached peak of popularity publication of next novel, harvester (1911). reached number 1 on best-seller list in 1912.

freckles (1904), girl of limberlost (1909), , harvester (1911) set in wooded wetlands , swamps of northeast indiana. stratton-porter loved area , wildlife , had documented them extensively. inexpensive reprints of freckles , girl of limberlost brought stratton-porter public s attention in united states abroad. translations of book other languages increased international audience. in 1910, when stratton-porter reached long-term agreement doubleday, page , company publish books, agreed provide 1 manuscript each year, alternating between novels , nonfiction nature books.

stratton-porter s next novel, laddie: true blue story (1913), of best-selling novels, included elements corresponded life. written while supervised construction of home @ sylvan lake in noble county, indiana, , described autobiographical novel. narrative told in first person twelfth child of stanton family. title character modeled after stratton-porter s deceased older brother, leander, whom stratton-porter nicknamed laddie. in stratton-porter s own family, laddie connected land , identifies father s vocation of farming.

michael o halloran (1915), seventh novel, inspired newsboy had encountered @ philadelphia, while visiting daughter, jeannette, , family. daughter of land (1918), next novel, did not sell earlier works. on time, sales of stratton-porter s novels had declined , 1919 status best-selling author began fade. undeterred, continued write until death in 1924.

her father s daughter (1921), 1 of stratton-porter s last novels, set in southern california, outside los angeles, had moved around 1920. novel biased against immigrants of asian descent. judith reick long, 1 of stratton-porter s biographers, stated world war i-era racial prejudice , nativism prevalent in united states , not unusual anti-asian in southern california @ time. barbara olenyik morrow, of biographers, explained book intentionally playing era s ethnic prejudices. literary review, ignoring anti-asian content, noted wholesome charm.

the white flag (1923), criticized old-fashioned melodrama, failed make bestseller list; however, story serialized in housekeeping magazine beginning in 1923, in advance of book s release. time of publication, stratton-porter s interests had shifted toward filmmaking.

the keeper of bees (1925) , magic garden (1927) last of stratton-porter s novels completed before death. both of them written @ home on catalina island , published posthumously. keeper of bees story world war veteran regains heath through restorative power , beauty of nature. story serialized in mccall s magazine february through september 1925 , published in book form later year. magic garden, girl of divorced parents, written 2 granddaughters, parents divorced when young. filmmaker james leo meehan, stratton-porter s business partner , son-in-law, wrote screenplay of novel shortly after stratton-porter had completed manuscript.

millions of copies of stratton-porter’s novels sold , of them became best sellers, literary establishment criticized them unrealistic, virtuous, , idealistic. despite criticisms, popular among readers of novels. stratton-porter once claimed, time, hearts of readers, , files of publisher find me ultimate place.

nature books

front cover of moths of limberlost (1912)

stratton-porter, keen observer of nature, wrote 8 nonfiction nature books moderate sellers compared novels. have done birds (1907) first appeared six-month illustrated series ladies home journal april august 1906. bobbs-merrill company published material in book format includes stratton-porter’s photographs. birds of bible (1909), illustrated reference book published jennings , graham of cincinnati, included eighty-one of stratton-porter’s photographs. both of these nature books slow sellers. music of wild (1910), published jennings , graham, warned of adverse effects destruction of trees , swamps have on rainfall. warnings appeared 2 decades before dust bowl of 1930s , in advance of present-day environmental concerns climate change.

moths of limberlost (1912), nature book of stratton-porter proud, dedicated neltje blanchan, fellow nature writer , wife of publisher, frank nelson doubleday. prior move california in 1919, stratton-porter completed manuscript homing birds (1919). praised content, described birdlife using easy-to-understand language general public. wings (1923) published year before death; tales won t believe (1925) published posthumously.

while literary critics called novels overly sentimental, academics dismissed nature writing because felt research methods unscientific. stratton-porter, not trained scientist, centered field research on own interests in observing domestic behavior of wild birds, such nest-building, diets, , social behavior. writing tried explain nature in ways readers understand , avoided scientific jargon , tedious, dry statistics.

magazine articles

stratton-porter regularly contributed articles , photographs magazines included metropolitan, recreation, outing, country life in america, , ladies home journal. after move california in 1919, stratton-porter wrote articles izaak walton league s publication, outdoor america, , thirteen-part series of nature articles housekeeping. agreed write series of editorials mccall s magazine in monthly column called gene stratton-porter s page, beginning in january 1922. tales won t believe (1925), collection of articles stratton-porter had written housekeeping, , let highly resolve (1927), collection of essays had appeared in mccall s magazine, published after death.

children s stories , poetry

morning face (1916), collection of children s stories included photographs, dedicated granddaughter, jeannette monroe, whom stratton-porter had nicknamed morning face. symbols, first poem appear in national magazine, published in housekeeping in january 1921. fire bird (1922), native american tragedy, first of long narrative poems published in book form. sales weak , not received literary critics. in 1922 housekeeping published stratton-porter s poem, euphorbia, in 3 installments , paid $12,500, had ever received poetry. jesus of emerald (1923), of long narrative poems, describes tiberius caesar s search details of jesus s works , appearance. stratton-porter explains religious beliefs in afterward of book.

nature photographer

in addition writing, stratton-porter accomplished artist , wildlife photographer, specializing in birds , moths lived in limberlost swamp, 1 of last of wetlands of lower great lakes basin. made sketches of observations part of fieldwork. stratton-porter noted close-up photographs of wildlife in natural habitat. in 1 of photographic studies, documented development of black vulture on period of 3 months. stratton-porter reported in have done birds (1907) effort yielded me complete series of vulture studies ever made.

stratton-porter began photographing birds in limberlost swamp , along wabash river near home in geneva, indiana, after husband, charles, , daughter, jeannette, presented camera christmas gift in 1895. submitted of photographs recreation magazine in late 1890s , wrote regular camera column publication in 1901. outing magazine hired similar work in 1902. unhappy images magazine editors suggested accompany writing, began submit own photographs illustrations articles. preferred use own photographs illustrate nature books. thirteen of wildlife photographs published in 1900 in american annual of photography, included views on fieldwork. many of photographs in music of wild (1910) taken @ sylvan lake home in northeastern indiana.

stratton-porter preferred photograph wildlife in natural environment. although hired men transport cumbersome camera equipment field photo shoots, preferred work alone. occasionally, husband accompanied field. stratton-porter gained more experience, acquired better camera equipment, including custom-made camera used eight-by-ten-inch glass photographic plates. stratton-porter believed larger plates provided more detailed photographs of subjects. developed photographic plates in darkroom set in bathroom @ limberlost cabin, family s home in geneva, indiana, , later in darkroom @ cabin @ wildflower woods along sylvan lake.

naturalist , conservationist

through writing , photography, stratton-porter demonstrated strong desire instill love of nature in others in order improve lives , preserve natural world. opposed destruction of wetlands developed commercial use. after turn of twentieth century, when limberlost swamp s trees cut timber , shrubs , vines killed, resulting commercial development, included oil drilling, destroyed wildlife. swamp drained wabash river.

in 1917 stratton-porter became more active in conservation movement when indiana general assembly passed legislation allow drainage of state-owned swamps in noble , lagrange counties. joined others urge state legislature repeal law lead destruction of wetlands in northeastern indiana. although law repealed in 1920, area s swamps drained.

in 1922 stratton-porter became founding member of izaak walton league, national conservation group, , joined efforts save wild elk @ jackson hole, wyoming, extinction. stratton-porter called on readers of outdoor america, league s publication, take prompt action. strong advocate of land , wetland conservation. wrote in essay, together, heave, outdoor america in 1922, if not want our land dry , blow away, must replace @ least part of our trees , urged conservation of american waterways.

movie producer

stratton-porter, pioneer in hollywood film industry, dissatisfied movie adaptation of novels movie studios. because wanted more control on production work, stratton-porter expanded business ventures include own production studio make moving pictures based on novels. 8 of novels have been made movies.

paramount pictures produced freckles, first film based on novels in 1917, stratton-porter unhappy movie because did not closely follow novel , decided make own. stratton-porter s first filmmaking effort made thomas h. ince on michael o halloran (1923). stratton-porter supervised filming , assisted principal director, james leo meehan. daughter, jeannette, wrote screenplay.

in 1924 stratton-porter 1 of first women form movie studio , production company. gene stratton-porter productions created moving pictures closely based on novels. before death in december 1924, stratton-porter s production company had produced 2 films, michael o halloran (1923) , girl of limberlost (1924), , had completed novel keeper of bees third film. stratton-porter s studio filmed harvester (1927) @ wildflower woods estate in northeastern indiana. film booking offices of america released movies produced stratton-porter s studio. none of these fbo-released films known survive.

stratton-porter s stories remained popular among filmmakers after death. rko pictures, successor film booking offices, made freckles , laddie in 1935. monogram pictures made girl of limberlost (1934), keeper of bees (1935), , romance of limberlost (1938). republic pictures released harvester (1936) , michael o halloran (1937). original negatives , 35mm prints of these films unlikely have survived; however, 16mm versions created television have been acquired private collectors.

a girl of limberlost adapted 4 times film. first, silent film produced stratton-porter s production company in 1924 gloria grey in title role. 1934 version directed w. christy cabanne , cast included marian marsh in starring role , silent-era film stars henry b. walthall, betty blythe, , louise dresser, indiana native. 1945 version included ruth nelson. 1990, made-for-television moved starred joanna cassidy. romance of limberlost (1938), directed william nigh, featured indiana actress marjorie main in role of mean stepmother.

the keeper of bees adapted 4 times movie. first released silent film in 1925, starring robert frazer; in 1935 monogram film starring neil hamilton; in 1942 columbia pictures; , keeper of bees in 1947 adaptation loosely based on original novel. stratton-porter s granddaughter, gene stratton monroe, appeared 1925 version in role of little scout.