the necessary papers for the trip into the northern wilds and at the
same time wished him all the luck in the world. “Dear old Mac” passed
away a short time after Jim returned from his trip. Jim always liked to
speak of M. V. MacInness after his passing in a heart-felt, reverent
voice.
“There has been an empty place in my heart since he died, and whenever I
go up into that great Northland I know Mac’s spirit is there, for it was
God’s Country to him just as surely as it always will be to me.”
At last, after all preparations had been made, Jim started out on the
first of the many exploration trips which he was to make into the wilds
of the Canadian Northwest in years to come. He went first to the vast,
beautiful wilderness of the Peace River Country, over to the sweeping,
towering mountains to the westward, then to the great reaches and
solitary plains of the Arctic to the Athabaska and the Mackenzie. From
there he traveled down to the uninhabited forests and timberlands about
the mighty Hudson’s Bay. These forests later became a ruling passion and
a dominant force in Jim’s life. He wanted “the uneducated people of
civilization” to love them just as he loved them. Upon his return he
pleaded with the populace to conserve and protect the virgin forests and
all the wild life that inhabited them.
“It is my ambition to take my readers with me into the heart of nature,”
Jim Curwood once said and there is little doubt but that he did. Indeed,
Jim took more than seven million of his readers into the heart of that
nature and wilderness. This same devout love he held for the “great
outdoors” later led Jim to start the great conservation movement in the
State of Michigan. He led the onslaught against the “game hogs”
unmercifully, broadening his crusade throughout the country.
It was during these trips into the wilds of Canada that he decided to
make his home in Owosso. So in the little town in central Michigan where
he had been born and raised Jim finally settled down. His father had
quit the cobbling shop and Jim supported him, as he had faithfully
promised.
Within three weeks after his return to Owosso, Lou Allison invited Jim
Curwood to a chicken-pie supper which was to be held at the
Congregational Church. Here he met a very charming and beautiful young
lady named Ethel Greenwood. Jim did not recognize her at first, but at a
later date remembered her as being in school at the same time he was,
two or three grades below him. He especially remembered her sparkling
eyes, and he found that they had not changed with the passing of years.
Jim always liked to think of her as the little schoolgirl of several
years back. Those sparkling eyes made a great impression upon him at
once. Later on during the church supper Jim and Miss Greenwood found
themselves alone.
As they talked, Miss Greenwood told Jim that she had read of his
expeditions into the far North and she appeared to be genuinely
interested in his travels and in his work. It was then that he decided
that he should become better acquainted with the young lady. As time
passed by Jim Curwood found himself thinking a lot of this new and very
interesting personality. As a matter of fact he was beginning to believe
that she would make an ideal companion for him on the many trails of the
wild on which he planned to travel. Her eyes were like shining stars
that sparkled both day and night, and her personality was pleasing.
Then it dawned upon the thirty-three year old writer that he must be
falling madly in love with Miss Greenwood. Of this he was convinced
after meeting her again. Their interests were mutual. She too loved the
wilderness country and all of God’s wonderful Nature. She loved to hear
the murmurs of the streams, the chirping of the birds and the chattering
of the squirrels just as he did. This interest which she expressed and
showed in his work set Jim Curwood to thinking very seriously.
It was not very long before Jim and Ethel Greenwood were married. The
ceremony took place in the old home on John Street, at six o’clock in
the morning. It was quiet and simple. By seven of the same morning the
bride and groom were on board a train headed for the wilderness and
God’s Country.
Jim and his wife were as happy as any couple could ever hope to be.
Together they fought and loved the wilds. Side by side they worked and
built their cabin deep within the heart of the forests surrounding
Hudson’s Bay. That autumn Jim began cutting his supply of wood for the
winter and storing up provisions. Even though they worked hard in
preparation for the long, hard and cold winter, they were gloriously
happy.
Fall soon came and with it the turning of the leaves, the strangely
different sounds of the rivers and the mating calls of the wild. Still
Jim Curwood worked frantically for the oncoming of winter, for he knew
what winters in the north were like, and he did not intend being caught
shorthanded. Cord-wood was cut and still more provisions were added to
their mounting larder. The cabin was made more secure and warm. The cold
months were but a short way off, for the leaves were rapidly beginning
to fall.
Already the bears had gone into hibernation. The chattering squirrels
were providing themselves with their winter’s supply of nuts and the
birds had all returned to the south with the exception of the few
families which always remained behind.
It was during this long winter that Jim began work on his third novel,
“Steele of the Royal Mounted.” What with his regular routine work and
with his writing added, James Oliver Curwood had a rather full and busy
winter. His writing took nearly three quarters of his day. The rest of
the time was given over to his wife, some reading and other activities.
“I had found a wife who was proud of the work by which I earned my
living, who looked fearlessly into the future with me, splendidly caring
for my little daughters; a mother who later gave me my son, James, the
last blessing to our family, now almost ready to go to college.” Indeed
he was happy and content.
As the snows blew and the winds howled about the tiny cabin far off in
the Canadian wilds, Jim’s log fire would burn cheerfully as he and his
wife would sit in front of it and read or talk. Darkness would arrive
around three in the afternoon and sometimes before that.
Jim Curwood continued work on his new novel up until the beginning of
spring. It was then that he proudly announced to his wife that “Steele
of the Royal Mounted” was completed. Not only was he happy over the
completion of the book, but because of his wife’s happiness. He was
happy, also, over the joy and love Ethel had for his two daughters. She
cared for them and loved them just as if they were of her own flesh and
blood. They were a part of Jim and that in itself explains her new-found
happiness. Jim once said that the winter spent in the cabin around
Hudson’s Bay was one of the most supreme winters of their lives.
[Illustration: _J.C. WEBER_]
Spring was at last upon them, and the buds were beginning to pop out on
the trees. Green patches of grass were beginning to show here and there.
Bushes were already taking on their various colors and some of the
animals and creatures of the natural and untouched country had come out
of hibernation.
Towards the close of spring Jim and Ethel returned to Owosso. Here Jim
definitely established himself at home. He built a large, fine house, a
brick structure of two stories. This house still stands. Surrounding it
on all four sides is a large and spacious yard that extends for many
yards around the mansion. Thousands of dollars went into its
construction and today the house remains as it was years ago, except
that its beauty has increased.
Jim Curwood did not remain in Owosso as long as he had expected. For he
now had the money to travel to and from his beloved wilderness at his
own choosing. Jim went back into the forests and wilds at least once a
year, often spending five to six months at a time. Usually Mrs. Curwood
accompanied him, but on a few of his exploration and writing trips, she
did not go. Each year when he returned to upper Canada, he went back
with all the happiness and love one man can possibly have for any one
particular spot.
Perhaps there is one basic reason why Jim built the fine home in Owosso
just where he did. It has been established that on the spot where his
home is located, one of the large camps of the Chippawayan Indians once
stood.
In 1909 Ethel Greenwood Curwood bore her first child for Jim, a son. The
youngster was named James Oliver Curwood II. With the arrival of his
baby son, Jim Curwood became the proudest father in the entire city of
Owosso. For now he had a son to carry on his name, a son who would prove
himself a great man and who would follow in his father’s footsteps.
James Oliver Curwood II was the only child Mrs. Curwood bore.
As soon as the baby had grown somewhat the family began to spend a great
many months far from civilization in the timber country. The two girls
and the baby boy were growing quite rapidly and becoming very healthy by
their constant play and travel in the fresh, cool air.
Ethel and the children grew to love the strange and unusual people, the
“Nomads of the North” who were their only friends away from
civilization. Of course Jim had loved them for many years, but he wanted
his wife and their offspring to regard them in much the same manner as
he did.
Hundreds of miles from civilization the Curwood family would bury
themselves in God’s Country. James Oliver Curwood’s feet have trod many
unknown trails throughout the north. The stars, the heavens and the
virgin forests came to be a living part of all of them. All the things
which Jim had dreamed of as a boy were at last coming true.
Jim had roamed through the boundless prairies, the highest mountains,
fought his way through deep Canadian snows and sub-zero temperatures all
along the northern plains. He was now enjoying himself more than he ever
dared dream.
James Oliver Curwood actually lived each story that he wrote.
He began to realize that the long and arduous struggle that he had had
to go through to reach success had been worth it. He had fought and
battled as few other men ever have in order to reach that pinnacle of
success and fame that he desired. Fortunately enough, Jim was possessed
of the spirit of everlasting perseverance.
About this time came the release of “Steele of the Royal Mounted.” At
the outset its sales were rather disappointing as were the sales of “The
Wolf Hunters.” Eventually, however, after the slow progress that his
books had been making, they began to sell and sell fast. In fact his
first three books sold as few others had ever sold before. Up to that
year, 1911, James Oliver Curwood had three novels and one book of
non-fiction to his credit: “The Wolf Hunters,” “The Courage of Captain
Plum,” the book of non-fiction, “The Great Lakes,” and the sequel to
“The Wolf Hunters,” “The Gold Hunters.” “The Danger Trail” was the last
of Jim’s books for the year 1910. In 1911 Jim published two more works
of fiction, namely: “Steele of the Royal Mounted” and “The Honor of the
Big Snows.” Realizing that he now had a firm foothold on the ladder of
success, Jim Curwood was prompted to write something of non-fiction that
would fully express himself and his beliefs.
At last came that opportunity in the volume “God’s Country—The Trail to
Happiness.” This book is the strangest that Curwood ever produced and
one of the most wonderful messages of hope ever addressed to mankind. It
was a rather small volume and the price was far below the usual price of
Curwood books. “God’s Country—The Trail to Happiness” sold for $1.25.
“Philip Steele of the Royal Mounted” had, of course, been released in
1910, along with “The Honor of the Big Snows,” which was written the
same year. This made a total of two novels and one volume of non-fiction
for 1911, which was indeed a great output of words for that length of
time. In 1912 Jim Curwood’s output was limited to one novel. This one
was entitled, “The Flower of the North,” a saga of the wilderness
country that was chock full of red-blooded adventure and romance. 1913
saw the arrival of another novel, “Isobel.” In 1914 Curwood wrote
probably the greatest work of his entire career. That was when he turned
out “Kazan,” which sold 500,000 copies. This story ranks with “The Call
of the Wild,” and “White Fang,” by the famous Jack London. “Kazan” is
the story of a wolf dog of the far north. The dog is three-quarters
husky and one-quarter wolf strain. Kazan is torn between his wild mate
and the man whom he loves most dearly. The story is so excellently woven
about the dog and so wonderfully told that many thousands of people have
reread it many times.
Although some of the so-called critics did not give this particular book
as high a rating as Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” it is the
belief of millions that “Kazan” is equally as good and as thrilling as
Mr. London’s famous book.
After the publication of “Kazan” Jim and his family headed back to the
north country. This time, however, they did not go back to the old
cabin, but to a new one that Jim had built in the British Columbia
mountains some months before. Here among the picturesque mountains of
towering spruce and pine, James Oliver Curwood penned “God’s Country and
the Woman,” a story so well written that it immediately sold better than
one hundred thousand copies. The woman in the story was none other than
his own dear wife, Ethel. Jim once said that he loved this country
devoutly, but it was not God’s Country unless there was a woman. “No
country is God’s Country without a woman.” This was in 1915.
The United States had already declared war on Germany when Jim completed
“God’s Country and the Woman.” So he immediately returned to Owosso with
his family to see if he could help his country. A great deal of time
passed before Jim was eventually assigned to anything. Then, in
1917-1918 he was officially designated as a World War Correspondent.
During the time he received this information and the time that he was to
have sailed, something intervened and Jim did not get a chance to go to
France. The government felt that since he had three children Mr. Curwood
should remain behind. He was given an assignment to do propaganda. He
wanted to go along with the rest of the boys and help protect our
country’s liberty and freedom. Instead, however, he was forced to remain
behind, and from his magazine articles flowed many words of truth and
wisdom during those hectic months of war. Jim termed the war “the thrill
of man killing man.”
In another article came this statement: “The momentary pangs of the war
could be compensated for in time by the benefits it would confer
spiritually.” During the course of the war, however, Jim not only penned
magazine articles, but he also turned out such novels of major rank as
“The Hunted Woman,” in 1916, and the sequel to “Kazan,” “Baree, Son of
Kazan,” which was published in 1917.
After the world’s first great tragedy, Jim’s books began selling faster
than they had before the war. Still, despite the fast sales of his
books, some critics were very harsh toward him.
In 1910, James Oliver Curwood made one great mistake of his life. He
started playing the stock market. Jim invested a sizeable sum of money
and immediately realized a profit of over $100.00. This encouraged him
to further speculation, and in a short space of time he lost all his
savings.
Now there remained but one thing for him to do. So, with his wife, Jim
left for the wilderness once again. From his countless number of friends
Jim borrowed the necessary money for expenses.
This time, the Curwoods went deeper into the wilds of upper Canada than
they had ever gone before, and buried themselves completely away from
civilization. Here Jim Curwood picked up his implement of trade and
commenced writing another one of his famous novels. He had no idea of
what he was going to write, except that he had to write something which
would sell.
Buried deep in the beautiful wilderness of the Canadian Northwest, where
lakes and streams run deep and the forests are thick and quiet, from
Jim’s pen came the wonderful, romantic adventure story of “The Honor of
the Big Snows,” the story of little Melisse and Jan Thoreau, a book
which was, in time, hailed as another great Curwood masterpiece. Again
Jim had money and again with the arrival of spring, Jim and Ethel left
the wilderness and headed back to civilization. He was cured of
gambling.
Shortly before the release of “The Honor of the Big Snows,” Jim’s
contract with the Bobbs-Merrill Company expired. Immediately, Harper and
Brothers brought out his works which included “Flower of the North,”
published in 1912.
After some time with Harper, Jim Curwood began to grow desperate and
returned to Bobbs-Merrill. Upon renewing partnership with the
Indianapolis firm, “Kazan” appeared. He had taken this fine story to
Bobbs-Merrill hoping that it would become as popular and famous as “The
Call of the Wild.” However, the critics denied Jim this honor in their
many reviews of “Kazan.” Despite the reviews the book later sold in
great quantities, particularly in England and later in the cheaper
American editions.
“By the time ‘Kazan’ was written I had made five trips into the
wilderness about Hudson Bay. Thrice had I gone into the Arctic and spent
a winter with the Esquimaux. I had crossed the great Barrens four times
and explored the unknown regions of British Columbia and the Yukon
country.”
Regardless of the critics’ adverse criticism, “Kazan” enjoyed an immense
sale, and continued to do so for many years afterward. This book is
rated by all Curwood admirers as one of his best, regardless of the
opinion of the literary critics. The partnership with Bobbs-Merrill
continued until the latter part of 1914, when Jim left to join
Doubleday, Page and Company of New York City (now Doubleday, Doran and
Company).
Jim’s first book under the new imprint was “God’s Country and the
Woman.”
It seemed at that time that James Oliver Curwood had reached his prime
and the top rung of the ladder of success. Immediately after the
publication of “God’s Country and the Woman,” Jim wrote “The Hunted
Woman,” in 1916, and a year later the grand animal story, “The Grizzly
King.” The latter was the story of Thor, one of the largest grizzlies
ever known to mankind in all the wilds of British Columbia. Over 300,000
out of all the millions of Curwood fans chose “The Grizzly King” as
Jim’s outstanding book on wildlife and nature. Also, in the same year
Jim wrote the sequel to “Kazan,” “Baree, Son of Kazan.” This novel of
wilderness dogs did not quite reach the high standard that “Kazan” did,
but it was excellently written and vividly told.
All sales on his books, which now totaled fifteen, were slowly but
surely increasing. It was during these years that James Oliver Curwood
came to fully understand that peace, love, health and faith may be found
in the presence of Nature and of God’s lowly creatures. He began to
realize more than ever how small and insignificant we human beings are
as compared to the mighty nature that surrounds us. In James Oliver
Curwood’s last work he brought out the latter fact....
“I have often wished that some power might rise to show us how little
and insignificant we are. Only then, I think, could the thorns and
brambles be taken from the paths to that peace and contentment which we
would find if we were not blinded by our own importance. We are the
supreme egotists and monopolists of creation. Our conceit and
self-importance are at times blasphemous. We are human peacocks, puffed
up, inflated, hushed in the conviction that everything in the universe
is made for us. We look down in supercilious lordship on all other life
in creation.”
Jim Curwood came to know that a dead stump of a tree still has life and
a soul. He voiced his opinion many times on that.
“If I did not believe a tree had a soul I could not believe in a God. If
someone convinced me that the life in a flower or the heart in a bird
were not as important in the final analysis as these same things in my
own body I would no longer have faith in a hereafter.”
This thought was reflected somewhat in his following book, “The Courage
of Marge O’Doone,” released in 1918.
Only two more of James Oliver Curwood’s books were to be handled by
Doubleday, Page and Company. These were “The Golden Snare” and “Nomads
of the North.” The latter novel of animal life Jim Curwood thoroughly
enjoyed writing much more than any of his novels depicting North
American wildlife. “The Golden Snare” was made into a motion picture of
the silent film days with Lewis Stone playing the lead role. “Nomads of
the North” was the last of the James Oliver Curwood books to appear from
the presses of Doubleday, Page and Company, for in that year of 1919 a
greater opportunity presented itself for the much wider distribution of
Jim’s novels. So he parted from his good friends at Garden City with
deep regret in his heart and he always cherished the memory of their
association.
Jim Curwood left the Doubleday organization and went to the Cosmopolitan
Book Corporation in 1919. The first book written by the diverse hand of
James Oliver Curwood for that firm was, without a doubt, his greatest
and finest work. “The River’s End” was the first of his novels that sold
more than one hundred thousand copies of the first edition. Modern
advertising arrangements ran up the advance sales on this book alone to
one hundred thousand copies. It later sold while it was still new to the
reading public, and the first edition had been exhausted to over three
hundred thousand. Since the time of its publication, twenty-four years
ago, “The River’s End” has sold many hundreds of thousands of copies,
and many new editions have had to be printed. Sergeant Derwent Conniston
and John Keith, the two principal characters of “The River’s End,” have
now become immortal, as has the entire story. Many motion picture
adaptations of it have been shown. The latest version was filmed and
released in 1941, with Dennis Morgan in the starring role of Sergeant
Conniston.
Very quickly after the release of “The River’s End” came “The Valley of
Silent Men” in 1920. The advance sale on “The Valley of Silent Men” ran
to better than 105,000 copies. Today more than five million people have
read this famous work of fiction. It is the story of the Three River
Country long before the railroads came. Jim traveled more than three
thousand miles down the mighty Saskatchewan before he wrote the great
novel, “The River’s End.” If he had not gone with the “Wild River
Brigades” of God’s Country down those fabled streams that flow north,
the millions of readers who enjoyed James Oliver Curwood’s writings, and
those who still enjoy them today, would never have had the opportunity
of reading the powerful novel, “The Valley of Silent Men.” Jim Curwood
always lived the stories he wrote.
In all of Curwood’s stories he portrayed great souls and strong men who
wage their battles of life, death and love in the open spaces. There is
little wonder why he had the great and loyal following that he at one
time possessed and still retains today. He was truly a master in his
particular field.
The sales on “The Valley of Silent Men” grew into much larger numbers
than the book, “The River’s End,” as far as advance sales were
concerned. The totals on the advance sale of “The Valley of Silent Men”
were 105,000 copies, and “The River’s End” ran up to 100,000. These two
stirring dramas of the Canadian Northwest alone brought out the true
genius of James Oliver Curwood. At long last the world was beginning to
sit up and take notice. The flowering genius of Jim Curwood was at last
beginning to bloom. Owosso townspeople were claiming him now more than
ever before as their native son. Not only they, but thousands upon
thousands of others were hailing James Oliver Curwood as the greatest
writer to appear on the literary horizon since the days of Charles
Dickens and Anton Tchekov.
Shortly following the release of “The Valley of Silent Men,” Jim again
headed into the land of tall timber. During this stay in the backwoods
Jim worked on various jobs. He did a share of sledge driving for he
delighted in seeing the wonderful huskies and malamutes of the big snows
work. He also studied at great length the characters of the people of
the far North.