The founder of the flourishing publishing house of Doubleday, Page &
Co., of New York, is Frank Nelson Doubleday, who was born in Brooklyn
in 1862, being the son of W. E. Doubleday. He was educated at the
Polytechnic institute of the City of Churches, and during his school
days gave indications of his future career, for before he had finished
his studies he had established quite a flourishing job printing
business among his schoolmates and friends. When fifteen years of age
he got a position with the Scribners as errand boy, remaining with
the firm for many years in a number of capacities. He founded the
publication entitled “The Book Buyer,” and when Scribner’s Magazine
was started he was made its manager and publisher. The average young
man would have been contented with this position, which was honorable,
professionally, and lucrative, financially. But young Doubleday was
ambitious, and so in 1897 he joined the S. S. McClure Company. After
a brief stay with them, he formed the Doubleday & McClure Co., book
publishers. The firm flourished and published many works of well-known
authors, including Rudyard Kipling’s “Day’s Work.” It was at this time
that a close friendship was formed between Mr. Doubleday and the famous
author. In 1900 Doubleday, Page & Co. came into existence, associated
with the senior partner being W. H. Page, former editor of the
Atlantic, and H. W. Lanier, who is a son of the poet, Sydney Lanier,
and others. The firm established World’s Work, a magazine that achieved
an immediate success. Another venture of the company was “Country Life
in America,” which is typographically and artistically very beautiful.
This magazine, too, was an emphatic success. He married Neltje de
Graff, a descendant of a historic Dutch family. Mrs. Doubleday is the
author of a number of works, many of which have to do with natural
history subjects, including “Bird Neighbors” and “Nature’s Garden,”
both of which are well known to students of nature.