Louis L’Amour Story: My Dad and a Typewriter, by Beau L’Amour

Beau L’Amour is an author, art director and editor. He has also worked in the film, television, magazine and recording industries. Since 1988 he has been the manager of the estate of his father.

I have no idea of how we were trained, my sister and I, but we knew how to approach my father if he was working and we wanted his attention. We would enter his office picking our way through the piles of books and papers. We would stand to one side of him, just within his peripheral vision, and silently wait while he worked.  Sometimes he would lift his fingers from the keys and say, “Just a minute.”  Then he would go on and complete a thought or get himself to a place in the story that would remind him what he had been intending to say next. Then he was yours…

…for about ten minutes. Before long, you would see the story or some innate discipline calling him back. We never had to worry about interrupting him because, while he was happy to be briefly distracted, he guarded his work time very carefully, and it never occurred to us that he might behave in a different way. “You run along now, I have to get back to work.” He would lean forward then, hunting and pecking at the keyboard, back in the story and perfectly in tune with where he had left off. It seemed as if he always knew exactly where he was going and no interruption could confuse him or even make him pause for very long.*

*L’Amour, B. (2017) Louis L’Amour’s Lost Treasures Volume 1, xx.

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Louis L’Amour Story: Louis L’Amour and the University of Jamestown

Phyllis Bratton, University of Jamestown,  Raugust Library Director

Shortly after Louis L’Amour’s death, Kathy L’Amour gave the University of Jamestown’s Raugust Library copies of all of his books, and continued to do so for many years after his death, as more were found among his papers and published.  In this gift, she included many translations of his works.

As a result, Raugust Library holds 387 volumes of his work, 189 of them in a language other than English.  These include Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Czech, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Greek, Hungarian, Slovak, Dutch, Hebrew, and Slovenian.  This might be the largest collection of his works in foreign languages in the world, outside of the Library of Congress!

Mrs. L’Amour also gave Raugust Library a set of his bound works in English.  For many years, these were on display with pictures and articles about him in the library’s lobby.  Now, they are housed in the “Listening Room”, where students go to watch DVDs and to use other audio/visual technology.  Library staff added western pictures and photographs to the room to enhance the theme.

Raugust Library welcomes residents of Stutsman County to use our collections.  Library cards are available and users may check out a limited number of items.  We have only two main restrictions:  we do not do interlibrary loan, and we ask that people in the community not come during exam week, as we are very busy helping students finish their semester.

Louis L’Amour Story: L’Amour Family, Alfred Dickey and a Reporter

Keith Norman

Keith Norman is a published author. He is a photographer. He is a reporter for the Jamestown Sun. He is a constant researcher at Alfred Dickey Library looking for historical stories about Jamestown and its citizens including Louis L’Amour.

L’Amour Family, Alfred Dickey and a Reporter

Sometimes doing research on a story with the assistance of the Alfred Dickey Library, turns into research about the library.

Recently, during a project gathering information on the Battle of Big Mound, fought in Kidder County in 1863, the books the library supplied gave me an unexpected look at the town of Jamestown and the people who made the Alfred Dickey Library possible.

The book was “Yet She Follows” written by Edna LaMoore* Waldo, sister of western writer Louis L’Amour, about their grandmother Betty Freeman Dearborn. Betty’s father, Ambrose Freeman, was killed at the Battle of Big Mound near Tappen, N.D.

Ambrose’s death and scalping was noted in the author’s notes of a couple hundred million Louis L’Amour westerns over the decades as proof of his western roots.

Edna’s story, actually the recollections of her grandmother about the incident, point out going hunting for antelope in the vicinity of hostiles and a battle can lead to disaster.

The story did not end with young Betty losing her father but continued with her marriage to Abraham Truman Dearborn and their life in Jamestown in the 1880s. It was a glimpse of a Jamestown that was only a decade old.

The Dearborn home, just down the hill from the former site of Fort Seward, was on the wrong end of Jamestown. Even living amidst the seedier side of the frontier town, the family had friends of importance.

According to Edna’s story in “Yet She Follows” the Dearborn family, especially daughter Emily the mother of Edna and Louis, had a friendship with Jamestown businessman Alfred Dickey.

In the fall of 1890, Emily wrote a letter to Dickey asking if he thought she could work as a clerk at the upcoming session of the North Dakota Legislature.

Dickey was a good man to ask, he was the Lieutenant Governor for that initial session after statehood had been granted.

“I would not advise you to do it,” wrote Dickey in response. “The work is light and the pay is good, but unless you have some very good friends to board with, you had better not.”

*LaMoore is the traditional spelling of L’Amour. Louis changed it to a French version.

Louis L’Amour Story – Louis L’Amour and My English Class

Bruce Berg

Bruce has taught in the Speech, and English departments at Rugby High School and Jamestown High School. He has taught in the Speech, English and Education departments at the University of Jamestown. He is a published author and frequent contributor to public radio programs.

Louis L’Amour and my English Class

IN 1972 LOUIS L’AMOUR CAME BACK TO JAMESTOWN TO BE HONORED BY JAMESTOWN COLLEGE. I WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE AT THE LIBRARY IN THE LATE  MORNING SO I MADE QUICK PLANS TO TAKE MY 3RD PERIOD ENGLISH CLASS TO THE LIBRARY TO CHECK OUT HIS AGENDA.  NOT MUCH HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR HIM AND I FOUND HIM AVAILABLE TO SIT AT A TABLE WITH ME AND ENGAGE IN A BRIEF CHAT.

HIS WRITING SISTER EDNA L’AMOUR WALDO  WAS AT THE EAST END OF THE LIBRARY GIVING A TALK ABOUT HER WRITING.  I WAS CONSCIOUS OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO WRITERS AND HAD HEARD THAT LOUIS WAS NOT GENUFLECTED TO BY HIS SISTER. I HAD A PAPERBACK COPY OF L’AMOUR’S “SITKA” AND I ASKED HIM TO SIGN THE BOOK FOR ONE OF THE FEW AUTOGRAPHS I HAVE.  HE TOLD ME THAT THE LIBRARY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM DURING HIS JAMESTOWN DAYS, 1908-1923,AND HE THOUGHT HE’D READ EVERY BOOK IN THE ALFRED DICKEY LIBRARY.

I DON’T REMEMBER HOW MUCH EXPOSURE MY JAMESTOWN HIGH SCHOOL CLASS HAD WITH L’AMOUR THAT DAY IN 1972, BUT I KNOW HE WAS THE FAVORITE WRITER FOR A NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO READ LITTLE ELSE.

Louis L’Amour Story: Louis L’Amour and My Dad

Mike Morrissey

Mike Morrissey is a former bootblack, grocery-bagger, and soda-bottler. He has also been privileged to be a teacher, public school superintendent, university professor, and Fulbright recipient

Louis L’Amour and My Dad

                  Louis, Dad & Mom, early 70’s

I met Louis L’Amour once, and at my age then, the meeting could not have been more perfect. He was passing through Valley City, or, alternatively, he had been brought there by Dad’s brother, Joe, from Jamestown, so that Lou might say hello to Dad after the passage of a lot of years since their last time together.   The time of the rendezvous was post WWII, the exact year of which I am unsure. But the meeting was perfect from my point of view because little was required, and nothing expected of me, a lad of eight or nine, circa 1949. The meeting is in black and white, the color of things post-war. Dad introduced me in the manner of “Son, this is my old friend, Louie L’Amour. We grew up together over in Jimtown…knocked down quite a few mallards back in the day, eh Lou?” I was able to shake hands, utter a syllable or two, and then get the heck out of the room. I disappeared at the earliest opportunity, never to converse with Mr. L’Amour again. If I had realized that he would one day be the most prolific author in the United States, I might have hung around longer. But more than likely, not. It was the way of young boys back then, a full load of tree-climbing and cave digging already on the week’s agenda…maybe a snake or two to be killed. I had heard of Louis L’Amour of course; had formed a picture in my mind’s eye from stories that Dad would tell about taking the younger lad (three years) hunting ducks and geese among the many sloughs that young boys could walk to from Jamestown, shotguns broken and cradled in an arm. Also, Dad’s brothers would mention Lou from time to time when the four of them were together.    After Lou had passed away and Dad was into his decline, I had a copy of L’Amour’s posthumously published Education of a Wandering Man when I visited my parents in St. Paul. “Hey Dad,” I said, “Do you remember this picture being taken?” showing him a picture from left to right, Dad, Uncle Rich, Evan Lougheed, Art Ringuette and Louis L’Amour, looking out over an early Ford pickup. (1922-23)

Dad, coming out of the fog of his newspaper article, took a quick look and responded, “Wonder where the hell he found that!” Then, as quickly, back to the newspaper article. In less than ten months, Dad would be able to ask ‘Ol Lou himself… perhaps as they meandered the duck sloughs of eternity.

A Library Story: Libraries and Elementary Schools

Deb Hornung

                                                  3nd Grade Teacher, St. Johns Academy, Jamestown, ND

The James River Valley Library plays a very important role in the elementary classroom.  I have taught elementary children for over 30 years, and have depended on and worked closely with the library throughout each school year, at all levels of teaching.  I have used the library for thematic teaching units, to find as many resources as possible in order to peak student’s interest on a topic, and I also have borrowed books on a monthly basis to use for oral reading when studying heroes of character, such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa.                                                                                

I love the system of calling the librarian and upon communicating the need, she gathers the books of interest for me.  When I arrive, my books are ready, and it is always such an efficient system of enhancing my lessons.  Many teachers in our district use the library in much the same way, and we all encourage our students to get involved in the library programs throughout the school year and in the summer.  We have a direct connection with the librarians, and they are always more than happy to accommodate our needs.                                              

I am thrilled also, that the library offers free books to educators when they have discards.  I have used this benefit throughout my years of teaching and will then donate books to children after using them in my classroom.  I can’t put enough emphasis on the importance of a great relationship between our elementary schools and our community library system.  We are blessed to have a great resource at our fingertips and we utilize the library on a continual basis.      

A Library Story: Libraries and a World Traveler

Andy is an English lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Stoudt. He has his MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.

I don’t have any one single story about libraries playing a role in my life, but they’ve always been important. They were especially important for the year and a half after college. I took a year off before grad school to work as a caddy in Chicago and on the Oregon coast, and travel through Australia. Because I never stayed in one place very long, I depended on public libraries for internet so I could stay in touch with friends and family, keep up with current events, research graduate programs, and communicate with the graduate programs I was considering. As an aspiring writer, I depended on libraries as my source for books and films and was able to continue educating myself during that time between college and graduate school.

A Library Story: Woodworth, ND to Mableton, GA

Stephanie Loose grew up on a farm outside of Woodworth, ND. She had a two year enlistment with the U.S. Army, permanently stationed at Fort Campbell, KY where she worked as an equipment supply specialist and had temporary duty singing for the post’s choir. She went to work as a receptionist in Salinas, CA where she remained for 40 years, eventually becoming partner in the CPA firm of Ingraham & Loose. She has a BS in Accounting from Golden Gate University. She was actively involved in local & state politics as a political treasurer in CA. Semi-retired, she now lives in Mableton, GA with her husband John Avery, a retired police officer. She has two children who live in Minnesota and Arizona with their families. Much time is spent traveling the world. Lately, she’s started to be an extra on movies & television shows.

                                                          Woodworth to Mableton

As a young reader, I knew I liked Burgess books. I recall the shape, size and art on the cover and where they were located. I was very surprised years later, when I realized Burgess wasn’t the type of book, but the author.

I was the school librarian for three years at Woodworth High School. All juniors and seniors were required to write a paper on a topic of their choice. We would travel by bus to visit Alfred Dickey Library in Jamestown where we learned about the Dewey Decimal System and how to use the card files.

Not sure why, but it still brings about an excitement when I think about it. Maybe it was the empowerment I felt when I found what I was looking for. I’ve come back to Alfred Dickey library at various times since I left North Dakota in 1975. The Alfred Dickey Library aroma always brings back memories of my high school research.

As a parent in California, I was always within walking distance of the John Steinbeck Library and walked there many times with my son to get our reading material. I organized candidate forums here, in one of rooms available to the community.

Now, a resident of Mableton, Georgia, I live very close to a library. My last trip there wasn’t to get books though, it was to see the total eclipse of the sun.

 

 

 

A Library Story: Rediscovery

Jill Pfaff

My library story really begins quite recently. It started when I accepted a position working at the James River Valley Library System. Prior to working for the library system, I honestly did not give much thought to the library other than it being a potential source for me to acquire my next book. The library has always been a “given” so to speak.

Growing up, my parents and most of my siblings were avid readers. Our home bookshelf housed a full set of encyclopedias, books on faraway places, on animals and many of the classic novels.  My parents encouraged reading and I fell in love with reading.

The library has always been in my life, beginning with my school libraries. I began school in a small North Dakota town and I recall getting on the bookmobile to pick out something that our tiny school library did not have. when I was ten years old, our family moved to Tucson, AZ, and I had access to numerous types of libraries. I realize now that I am very fortunate to have this privilege.

In the few short months since I began working for the library, I have come to realize what the library means to others. The library is not just a place to borrow a book. The library is a place to meet with friends and to spend time with loved ones. It’s a place to study, to work, or to spend quietly reading and reflecting. It’s a place to have a meeting or a group event. Lastly, it’s obviously a source of entertainment in more ways than one could possible imagine. I love seeing old friends meet for a game of chess and young friends playing games and interacting with each other on the computers.

I have discovered that the library is a great place to begin to search for family history and records. there is so much history within the pages of the books housed on shelves and on the reels of microfilm. Here all this time I thought that to begin a genealogy search began with google or with a subscription to Ancestry.com!

I have rediscovered the library and for me it’s been a great discovery. I will never look at the library the same way again and I’m thankful for that. I hope to let as many people as possible know what the library has to offer.

 

A Library Story: Community Quality

Dr. Jo-Ida C. Hansen

Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota

Like many people, I am sure, who grew up in Jamestown, I have fond memories of the Alfred Dickey Free Public Library.  My parents, Gordon H. & Charlotte H. Hansen, who owned the Jamestown Sun were seriously avid readers.  I have no doubt that they made sure I had a library card at a very young age.  I do remember trips, as a kid, to the library to pick out a stack of books to borrow.  I think a limit was imposed on how many volumes each library card holder could take home – and I always had an armful that maxed out the allotted number.  The due date was in 14 days, and I rarely had to ask for a renewal.

When high school rolled around, we had papers to write and the library became a mix of scholarly research and youthful socialization (conducted in whispered tones).  Those were the good old days when the high school was in the center of town and a short walk from the library.  For those of us who loved having such easy access to so many books, the memory of the musty smell of old book pages often invokes positive recollections.

I live in Minneapolis-St Paul now, but I frequent Alfred Dickey a couple of times a year, when visiting Jamestown, to use the free Wi-Fi service.  I still feel obliged to speak in low tones even though the culture clearly has changed.  People are meeting to play chess, others are engaged in another favorite activity of mine – working on a puzzle.  Children are arriving with their “trailing adults” to engage in various activities.

The quality of a community – the livability index – is judged on many dimensions – quality of schools and health care, affordable housing, income, vibrancy of the downtown and retail, employment, manufacturing, recreational facilities, engagement in the arts, and so on.  The availability of an historic library that strives to embrace the latest technology and to open doors of learning to the entire community (and surrounding area) is another important indicator of the livability of Jamestown.

As one whose formative years benefited greatly from the Alfred Dickey Library, I am pleased to be able to support the Centennial Initiative and reassured to know that the community of Jamestown continues to support the library.