Author Harold Bell Wright Letter of 1936 Replying to Marian Wright Powers of Carthage, Missouri

Selected letter/document from 2006 "Letters of History" Exhibit (Now closed)

Letter written in reply to Marian Wright Powers' second letter of January 1, 1936 sent to her distant cousin Harold Bell Wright. The purpose of Mrs. Powers' letter was to send New Year greetings and inquire about The Shepherd of the Hills book characters after folks in Branson realized she might be related to Harold Bell Wright and bombarded her with questions concerning the book. Although she tells those inquiring that she is sure author Wright uses literary license with his characters, she no less asks for his responses to their questions.

HAROLD BELL WRIGHT
TUSCON ARIZONA

Escondido, California
January 8, 1936

Mrs. Everett
314 Euclid Blvd.
Carthage
Missouri

Dear Marian Wright Powers:

Thank you for your letter and the interesting Ozark material. It was more than kind of you to remember me in this charming way.

The picture folder brought many happy memories of the Ozark country which I really must see again before it is altogether too late. May I add, that your letter and invitation is an added attraction of no small drawing power.

About the general true-to-the-facts character of my Ozark story----I have had so many, many letters asking so many, many questions that when Eva Eakin Grizzard wrote her little booklet on "Characters and Community of the Shepherd of the Hills", at her request I wrote a letter covering all these points. This letter was included in her booklet. The book is published by theTextor Printery, Point Lookout, Missouri. I wish I had a copy of it at hand--- I would love to send it to you.

Sammy Lane is not a portrait of any living person that I ever knew in the Ozarks or any place else. Several persons have claimed to be the original Sammy but I repeat there was no original Sammy. Uncle Ike, in the story, is a portrait. Uncle Matt and Aunt Molly are near portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Ross.

Your understanding of the way a novelist works is exactly right---at least that is the way I work.

I quite envy you your Christmas gathering of the clan. I can imagine what a wonderful time you must have had with so many of the family circle for circumstances beyond my control denies us this Christmas festivity.

Yes, I understand that Louise is quite ill. Allen Wright, who lives in San Diego, and I try to keep in close touch with her.

Thank you again for that latch-string and wishing you every good thing for this coming year, I am

HBW X
Sincerely Harold Bell Wright [signature]

Anyone accessing page and using letter for educational purposes should acknowledge this letter with the following citation as to its source: From the Powers Museum Founding Collection (Carthage MO), Wright-Powers Family Correspondence Collection, gift of the Marian Powers Winchester Estate, 1981. Any commercial use of this image and text without written permission is not permitted. (All rights reserved by the Powers Museum.)