Charles F. Lummis
Charles F. Lummis (1859-1928) was an influential American journalist, author, and advocate for Native American rights, known for his colorful personality and significant contributions to the literature of the American West. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Lummis had a challenging childhood marked by illness and the early loss of his mother. After a brief stint at Harvard University, he began his career in journalism, first as an editor in Ohio and later moving to Los Angeles, where he joined the Los Angeles Daily Times.
Lummis gained notoriety for his ambitious journey walking from Ohio to California, a trek of over 3,500 miles that he chronicled in his book, "A Tramp Across the Continent." Following a stroke that partially paralyzed him, he spent time in New Mexico, where he immersed himself in Native American culture and became a passionate advocate for their rights. His efforts included advising President Theodore Roosevelt on Native American issues, which influenced national policy.
In addition to his journalistic endeavors, Lummis was a prolific writer, producing numerous works that captured the essence of the rapidly changing West. He also co-founded the Landmarks Club, focusing on preserving culturally significant sites, notably the mission at San Juan Capistrano. Lummis's legacy is marked by his flamboyant style and dedication to documenting and preserving the history and culture of the American West.
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Charles F. Lummis
Author
- Born: March 1, 1859
- Birthplace: Lynn, Massachusetts
- Died: November 25, 1928
- Place of death: Los Angeles, California
Biography
Charles F. Lummis was born on March 1, 1859, in Lynn, Massachusetts. His mother died when he was two. Lummis was a sickly child, and received most of his education at home, tutored by his schoolmaster father. He attended Harvard University, but dropped out before graduating. In 1880, he was married to Mary Dorothea Rhodes and the couple relocated to her hometown in Ohio. From 1882 to 1884, he was editor of the Scioto Gazettein Chillicothe, Ohio.
In 1884, Lummis was offered a position with the Los Angeles Daily Times, and he decided to walk from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Los Angeles, California, sending accounts of his travels as dispatches to both the Gazette and the Times. He took a rather circuitous route from Ohio to Los Angeles, claiming he covered 3,507 miles in 143 days. His story of this trip was later recounted in his book, A Tramp Across the Continent. In 1885, he became city editor of the Times, a position he held until 1887, when he was partially paralyzed by a stroke.
His recovery from the stroke was slow and during this five- year period, Lummis lived on a ranch in New Mexico. He lived among the Native American peoples near Isleta, and became fluent in the native language. He grew familiar with the stories and customs of the Native American people and became intensely devoted to the cause of the Native Americans. Lummis was invited to Washington, D.C., to brief President Theodore Roosevelt on issues concerning Native Americans, and he is widely considered to have been a strong influence on Roosevelt’s views and policies regarding the Western tribes.
Lummis was considered something of a character. He affected a Spanish persona, wearing a corduroy suit, a red Navajo sash, and a wide sombrero. He was known to be a workaholic, and he produced a long list of books, articles, short stories, poems, and other works, almost all of which are based on his experiences in the American West. He was also rather scandalous for the age, having been married three times and having engaged in fairly public extramarital affairs.
His contributions to the literature and history of the American West are considerable. Later writers would call his prose style “flamboyant, vulgar, and repetitive,” but he wrote of a land that was quickly disappearing, and his accounts have been of considerable value to students of the West and Southwest. He cofounded a group called the Landmarks Club in 1895, and worked tirelessly to preserve such culturally significant sites as the Spanish missions in California. He is particularly credited with the preservation of the mission at San Juan Capistrano. Lummis was a larger-than-life character who both personified and helped preserve memories and landmarks of the American West.