Charlie May Simon and “The Story of Arkansas” (JGF-4)

On January 18, 1936, John Gould Fletcher married Charlie May Simon, a woman of literary talents in her own right. During the 1930s, she excelled in children’s literature. Many considered her children’s book Robin on the Mountain, published in 1934, a classic in this genre. Fletcher’s reputation and works did not overshadow Simon’s literary career. In fact, Simon’s book royalties added to their income, and the couple soon became dependent on her literary output in order to pay their bills.

Charlie May Simon in rural setting on her honeymoon, 1936
Charlie May Simon, honeymoon, 1936
John Gould Fletcher with Charlie May Simon at the University of Arkansas, Monticello, May 3, 1945
John Gould Fletcher standing next to Charlie May Simon in Mexican clothing, Mexico, 1937
John Gould Fletcher and Charlie May Simon, Mexico, 1937

In 1936, John Netherland Heiskell, owner of the Arkansas Gazette, commissioned Fletcher to write a poem entitled “The Story of Arkansas,” commemorating Arkansas’s 1936 centennial. A revised version of this poem appeared in Fletcher’s collection of poetry entitled South Star, published in 1941. Also during this time, Fletcher promoted Arkansas’s folk culture and the establishment of fine arts institutions in the state.

John Gould Fletcher on the grounds at "Johnswood," circa 1940s
John Gould Fletcher at “Johnswood,” circa 1940s

The couple frequently traveled during the early years of their marriage, with trips to New York, Santa Fe, and New Hampshire. The couple slowed their travels in 1941 upon the completion of their new home in west Little Rock, which they called “Johnswood.”