Stevens, James, 1892-1971

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Stevens was a free-lance writer particularly interested in the history of logging and the timber industry. He is especially known for his Paul Bunyan stories.

From the description of Papers, 1924-1966. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122529904

Author of Paul Bunyan.

From the description of James F. Stevens papers, 1924-1965. (Washington State University). WorldCat record id: 29852414

Anthologist.

From the description of Reminiscences of James Floyd Stevens : oral history, 1957. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122586857

James Stevens was a writer and public relations counsel who was best known as the creator of Paul Bunyan and Davy Crockett. He was born in 1892 in Albia, Iowa, and educated at public schools there and in Idaho. He worked in logging camps in his teens and early twenties, but in 1924 he turned to writing as his career. Between 1924 and 1937 he freelanced. In 1937 he was hired by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association (WCLA) as public relations director, a job that allowed him to combine his writing talents with his interest in and knowledge of the forest products industry. He stayed with WCLA until he retired in 1957.

His interest in forests also led him to become one of the founders of the Keep Washington Green Association, which was begun in 1939-1940, growing out of the Junior Forest Council. He served with the association until 1957 as a Secretary-Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees. He was also a Trustee of the Washington State Forestry Conference, a member of the Society of American Foresters, and of the American Forestry Association.

Besides his position with WCLA, he was very active in the activities of the Congregational Church in King County as well as in the Washington-Northern Idaho Council of Churches, and served as Public Relations Chairman for them. The job included writing a column for the publication, Congregational Way .

Stevens was also active in professional writers' associations and served as Trustee of the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference. He wrote copy for the Historical Markers Committee of the Washington State Historical Society in 1957. During the planning for the World's Fair in 1961-62, he served as a member of the Cultural Arts Committee.

From the guide to the James Stevens papers, 1883-1966, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Western Wood Products Association Records, 1909-1970 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Forest History Society,. Interviews with pioneer lumbermen, 1953-1957. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Stevens, James, 1892-1971. Papers, 1924-1966. University of Washington. Libraries
creatorOf Holbrook, Stewart Hall, 1893-1964. Papers, 1904-1965. Fort Vancouver Regional Library District, FVRL District Headquarters
creatorOf Hoffman, Daniel, 1923-. Paul Bunyan collection, 1914-1970. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf James Stevens papers, 1883-1966 University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
referencedIn Holbrook, Stewart Hall, 1893-1964. Stewart Hall Holbrook papers, 1928-1962. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
referencedIn Stewart Hall Holbrook Papers, 1928-1962 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Stevens, James, 1892-1971. Reminiscences of James Floyd Stevens : oral history, 1957. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Stevens, James, 1892-1971. James F. Stevens papers, 1924-1965. Washington State University, Holland and Terrell Libraries
referencedIn Western Wood Products Association. Western Wood Products Association Records, 1900-1970. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Stevens, James, 1892-1971. James Stevens-Clayton [i.e. Claton] Rice correspondence 1948-1970. Seattle Public Library, Central Library
referencedIn Garfield School (Olympia, Wash.). Garfield School's scrapbook collection of letters from Washington authors, 1935. Washington State Library, Office of Secretary of State
referencedIn Priaulx, Arthur. Reminiscences of Arthur Priaulx and James Stevens : oral history, 1953. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf James F. Stevens Papers, 1909-1965 Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
creatorOf Status rerum :, circa 1927 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Chaplin, Ralph, 1887-1961. person
associatedWith Clare, Warren L. person
associatedWith Doubleday, Doran & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Fishwick, Marshall William. person
associatedWith Forest History Society, corporateBody
correspondedWith Garfield School (Olympia, Wash.) corporateBody
associatedWith Hoffman, Daniel, 1923- person
associatedWith Holbrook, Stewart Hall, 1893-1964. person
associatedWith Keep Washington Green (Organization). corporateBody
associatedWith Knopf, Alfred A., 1892-1984. person
associatedWith Maunder, Elwood R., person
associatedWith Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956. person
associatedWith Plymouth Congregational Church (Seattle, Wash.). corporateBody
associatedWith Priaulx, Arthur. person
associatedWith Rice, Claton S. (Claton Silas), 1883-1973. person
associatedWith Rice, Esther W., 1887-1969. person
associatedWith Stevens, Theresa F., 1901-1981. person
associatedWith Tully, Jim. person
associatedWith Washington and Northern Idaho Council of Churches and Christian Education. corporateBody
associatedWith West Coast Lumbermen's Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Western Wood Products Association. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Washington (State)
Washington (State)
United States
Washington (State)
Subject
American literature
Authors, American
Authors
Bunyan, Paul (Legendary character)
Congregationalists
Folklore
Forestry and Forest Products
Forestry literature
Forests and forestry
Forests and forestry
Frontier and pioneer life
Loggers
Logging
Logging
Logging
Lumbering
Lumber trade
Oregon
Washington (State)
Occupation
Authors, American
Activity

Person

Birth 1892

Death 1971-12-31

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