Frederic Gershom Melcher (January 8, 1926)

#2051: Willa Cather to Frederic Gershom Melcher, January 8, 1926

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⬩W⬩S⬩C⬩ January 8, 1926. My dear Mr. Melcher¹:

I'd love to make that talk for you, but I simply cannot take on another engagement this winter. I do not want my friends to think I have become a hermit; but you see, for the last three years, I have spent only four months a year in New York², and you can understand, since I do most of my work here, I have to crowd things pretty hard.

I was delighted to have a Christmas card from you and your family³ - but I did not know you had a family, I only knew about Charity!

Very cordially yours, Willa Cather

Information about this letter:

Source File:: cat.let2051.xml
Letter identifier: 2051
Contents: Document is one leaf, typewritten on recto only.
Person to whom letter was written: Frederic Gershom Melcher ¹
Date letter was written: January 8, 1926
Place letter was written: New York, New York, United States²
Location of original letter: Frederic G. Melcher-Robert Frost Collection, 1868-1963 (MSS 13024), University of Virginia, Special Collections, Charlottesville, VA

Person Annotations

1243

Melcher, Frederic Gershom (1879-1963). American bookseller and publisher. Born near Boston, MA, Frederic Melcher went to work for a Boston publisher in 1898, where he developed an interest in children’s books. In 1910 he married Marguerite Fellows, a children’s book author, and in 1913, they moved to Indianapolis, IN, where Frederick managed W. K. Stewart Bookstore. In 1918 he returned east to become editor of the trade journal Publishers’ Weekly, published in New York City, and in early 1919 he visited Willa Cather to urge her to keep writing about the West. Cather later sent greetings to Melcher through Ferris Greenslet. Melcher is best known for his efforts to promote children’s literature. In 1922 he proposed and helped to fund the Newberry Medal, awarded to the best children’s book each year; similarly, he proposed the Caldecott Medal, recognizing the best children’s picture book.

1630

Melcher, Marguerite Fellows (1879-1969). American children's author. Born in Boston, MA, Marguerite Fellows earned a bachelor’s degree from Smith College in 1901. She married Frederic Gershom Melcher in 1910; the couple had two children, Daniel and Nancy. Marguerite Fellows wrote a number of books for children. Inspired by summers as a child spent in Enfield, NH, she also wrote about the Shakers. Cather met Marguerite Melcher through her husband and enjoyed their company at tea.

1650

Travis, Charity Melcher (1922-1967) (“Chatty”). Frederick and Marguerite Melcher's daughter. Born in New Jersey, the second daughter of Frederick and Marguerite Melcher, Charity Melcher attended college, then joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1944. After World War II was over she married Adelbert Travis; they had three children together. Charity Travis died at her home in Westport, CT.

1670

Melcher, Daniel (1912-1985). American publisher. Born in Massachusetts, son of Frederic Melcher and Marguerite Fellows Melcher, Daniel Melcher graduated from Harvard in 1934. On the advice of his father, he set out to learn the book trade in the U.S. and abroad. He married Peggy Zimmerman in 1937; they had one son, Frederick Melcher II. After World War II, he followed his father at the Bowker company, rising to become an innovative and influential president and chair. Cather would have known of him through her acquaintance with his parents.

1671

Diemand, Nancy Melcher (1916-2015). American lingerie designer. Born in Indianapolis, IN, the eldest daughter of Frederic Melcher and Marguerite Fellows Melcher, Nancy Melcher grew up in New Jersey. She attended Williams College, Smith College, and the McDowell School for Costume Design. She joined the lingerie company Vanity Fair in 1937, where she won a special Coty award for her innovative uses of nylon fabrics, and obtained a patent on a corset-brassiere. She married John A. “Buzz” Diemand in 1942, with whom she had two children; the family lived in Pennsylvania. Cather would have known of Nancy through her acquaintance with her parents.

1672

Melcher, Ann (1924-before 1940?). Daughter of Frederick and Marguerite Melcher. Born in New Jersey, Ann was the youngest of four children. She may have died young, as she does not appear with the rest of her family in the 1940 census, when she would have been about sixteen. Cather would have known of Ann through her acquaintance with her parents. No further information is known about her.

Place Annotations

New York, New York, United States