Charles Erskine Scott Wood or C.E.S. Wood (February 20, 1852January 22, 1944) was an American author,

civil liberties Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by constitution, legislation, or judicial interpretation, without due process. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties ma ...

advocate, artist, soldier, attorney, and

Georgist Georgism, also called in modern times Geoism, and known historically as the single tax movement, is an economic ideology holding that, although people should own the value they produce themselves, the economic rent derived from Land (economics), ...

. He is best known as the author of the 1927 satirical bestseller, '' Heavenly Discourse''.

Early life

Born in

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...

, Wood graduated from

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

in 1874. He served as a lieutenant with the 21st Infantry Regiment and fought in the

Nez Perce War The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict in 1877 in the Western United States that pitted several bands of the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans and their allies, a small band of the ''Palouse'' tribe led by Red Echo (''Hahtalekin'') and ...

in 1877. He was present at the surrender of

Chief Joseph ''Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt'' (or ''Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it'' in Americanist orthography), popularly known as Chief Joseph, Young Joseph, or Joseph the Younger (March 3, 1840 – September 21, 1904), was a leader of the Wal-lam-wat-kain (Wallowa ...

of the Nez Perce. It was Wood who transcribed, and perhaps embellished, Chief Joseph's famous speech, which ended with: "My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." The two men became close friends. He raised his family in Portland at a house on King's Hill near the northeast corner of today's Vista Bridge. The site is now occupied by the

Portland Garden Club The Portland Garden Club is a historic building located in Portland, Oregon, United States.. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.. See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Southwest Portland, Oreg ...

in the Goose Hollow neighborhood. John Reed grew up a few blocks away and was greatly influenced by Wood.

Oregon politics

Following his service he became a prominent attorney in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous ...

, where he often defended labor unions and "radicals" including

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...

activist

Margaret Sanger Margaret Higgins Sanger (born Margaret Louise Higgins; September 14, 1879September 6, 1966), also known as Margaret Sanger Slee, was an American birth control activist, sex educator, writer, and nurse. Sanger popularized the term "birth contro ...

. He began to write, became a frequent contributor to ''

The Pacific Monthly ''The Pacific Monthly'' was a magazine of politics, culture, literature, and opinion, published in Portland, Oregon, United States from 1898 to 1911, when it was purchased by Southern Pacific Railroad and merged with its magazine, ''Sunset''. ...

'' magazine, and was a leader of Portland's literary community. In 1896, Wood was Oregon's sole representative on the national committee of the National Democratic Party, known as the Gold Democrats. The party, which had the blessing of

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

, championed defense of the

gold standard A gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from th ...

and

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econ ...

. Like many Cleveland Democrats, including his long-time friend

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...

, Wood joined the

American Anti-Imperialist League The American Anti-Imperialist League was an organization established on June 15, 1898, to battle the American annexation of the Philippines as an insular area. The anti-imperialists opposed forced expansion, believing that imperialism violated t ...

. The League called for the United States to grant immediate independence to the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

and other territories conquered in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

Politics

As a lawyer during the early twentieth century, Wood represented dissidents such as

Emma Goldman Emma Goldman (June 27, 1869 – May 14, 1940) was a Russian-born anarchist political activist and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the ...

.Beito, David T., & Beito, Linda Royster (2000)
"Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896–1900"
. ''The Independent Review'' (IV), 555–575. He has been described as an

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessar ...

. He wrote articles for radical journals such as ''

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

'', ''

The Masses ''The Masses'' was a graphically innovative magazine of socialist politics published monthly in the United States from 1911 until 1917, when federal prosecutors brought charges against its editors for conspiring to obstruct conscription. It was ...

'', and ''

Mother Earth Mother Earth may refer to: *The Earth goddess in any of the world's mythologies *Mother goddess * Mother Nature, a common personification of the Earth and its biosphere as the giver and sustainer of life Written media and literature * "Mother Ea ...

''. Wood was unflagging in his opposition to state power. He advocated such causes as civil liberties for anti-war protesters, birth control, and anti-imperialism. In 1927, he wrote in ''Heavenly Discourse'' that the "city of George Washington is blossoming into quite a nice little seat of empire and centralized bureaucracy. The people have a passion to 'let Uncle Sam do it.' The federal courts are police courts. An entire system with an army of officials has risen on the income tax; another on prohibition. The freedom of the common man, more vital to progress than income or alcohol, has vanished."

Artist and painter

Wood advocated for the native peoples, but he also painted them. His love of painting generated numerous studies of landscapes and points of interest along the Oregon and California coastline. He also memorialized some of his favorite places in watercolor including Keats' grave and vistas from his home in

Los Gatos, California Los Gatos (, ; ) is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population is 33,529 according to the 2020 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area just southwest of San Jose in the foothills of th ...

. His primary medium was watercolor and graphite. The

Huntington Library The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, known as The Huntington, is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington (1850–1927) and Arabella Huntington (c.1851–1924) in San Ma ...

has a good sampling of his artwork online.

Later years

From 1925 until his death in 1944, Wood lived with his second wife,

Sara Bard Field Sara Bard Field (September 1, 1882 – June 15, 1974) was an American poet, suffragist, free love advocate, Georgist, and Christian socialist. She worked on successful campaigns for women's suffrage in Oregon and Nevada. Working with Alice Paul ...

, in Los Gatos in a house named "The Cats" or the "Cats Estate" located on the hill on southbound Highway 17. The house was built in 1925 on a 34-acre property, with an entry way featuring a wrought iron gate flanked by two large white cat sculptures, named Leo and Leona. Many famous people visited this home, including

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

, and

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

. His friends included

Ansel Adams Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) was an American landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his Monochrome photography, black-and-white images of the American West. He helped found Group f/64, an association ...

, Albert M. Bender,

Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the early 20th century for his involvement in the Leopold and Loeb murder trial and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial. He was a leading member of t ...

Eugene Debs Eugene may refer to: People and fictional characters * Eugene (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Eugene (actress) (born 1981), Kim Yoo-jin, South Korean actress and former member of the sin ...

Childe Hassam Frederick Childe Hassam (; October 17, 1859 – August 27, 1935) was an American Impressionist painter, noted for his urban and coastal scenes. Along with Mary Cassatt and John Henry Twachtman, Hassam was instrumental in promulgating Impressioni ...

Robinson Jeffers John Robinson Jeffers (January 10, 1887 – January 20, 1962) was an American poet, known for his work about the central California coast. Much of Jeffers's poetry was written in narrative and epic form. However, he is also known for his short ...

, and

. At the time of his death, Wood was West Point's oldest living graduate. He was the father of

Nan Wood Honeyman Nan Honeyman (née Wood; July 15, 1881 – December 10, 1970) was an American politician from the state of Oregon. A native of New York, she was the daughter of author and attorney Charles Erskine Scott Wood. After growing up in Oregon, she served ...

, Oregon's first U. S. congresswoman.

Film

Wood was portrayed by

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

in the

TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

'' I Will Fight No More Forever''. In the film, he is a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

who fights in the

Bibliography

Books by C.E.S. Wood

*''Heavenly Discourse '' (Reprint: Kessinger Publishing, 2005) *''A Masque of Love '' (W.M. Hill, 1904) ASIN B00086BIH0 *''Too Much Government'' (

Vanguard Press The Vanguard Press (1926–1988) was a United States publishing house established with a $100,000 grant from the left wing American Fund for Public Service, better known as the Garland Fund. Throughout the 1920s, Vanguard Press issued an array of ...

, 1931) ASIN B00085T49U *''Heavenly Discourse'' (Vanguard Press, 1927) ASIN B00085SZEK *''The Poet in the Desert'' ASIN B00085YKLW *''A Book of Indian Tales'' (Vanguard Press, 1929) *''Earthly Discourse'' (Vanguard Press, 1937) ASIN B00085SZEK

Articles by C.E.S. Wood

The Pursuit and Capture of Chief Joseph
Appendix in Chester Anders Fee, Chief Joseph: The Biography of a Great Indian, Wilson-Erickson, 1936. Retrieved from pbs.org 2008-04-08.
Among the Thlinkits in Alaska
''The Century '', vol. 24, issue 3 (July 1882)
Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce
''The Century '' vol. 28, issue 1 (May 1884).
Famous Indians
''The Century '', vol. 46, issue 3 (July 1893).
An Indian Horse Race
''The Century '', vol. 33, issue 3 (Jan 1887)

Notes

References

Books about C.E.S. Wood

*George Venn, ''Soldier to Advocate: C.E.S. Wood's 1877 Legacy '' (La Grande: Wordcraft of Oregon, LLC, 2006) *Robert Hamburger, ''Two Rooms: The Life of Charles Erskine Scott Wood '' (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998) *Edwin Bingham and Tim Barnes (eds.), ''Wood Works: The Life and Writings of Charles Erskine Scott Wood '' (Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 1997) *Edwin R. Bingham, et al., (eds.), ''Charles Erskine Scott Wood '' (Boise, Idaho: Boise State University, 1990
available online via Western Writers Series Digital Editions
*Erskine Wood, ''Life of Charles Erskine Scott Wood: A Renaissance Man '' (Vancouver, Washington: Rose Wind Press, 1991) *Irving R. Cohen, ''Charles Erskine Scott Wood: An American Kaleidoscope'' (1982)

Articles

*David T. Beito and Linda Royster Beito
"Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896–1900,"
''Independent Review,'' vol. 4 (Spring 2000), pp. 555–575. * Edward R. Bingham, "Oregon's Romantic Rebels: John Reed and Charles Erskine Scott Wood," ''Pacific Northwest Quarterly,'' vol. 50, no. 3 (July 1959), pp. 77–90
In JSTOR
*George Venn

''Oregon Historical Quarterly,'' Spring 2005. *Ted Mahar
"Oregon Icon Who Fought Conventional Wisdom"
''The Oregonian,'' February 9, 2008. *

Audio Visual

*Oregon Experience
"C.E.S. Wood"
A documentary by

Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of the U.S. state of Oregon as well as southern Washington. OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF tra ...

(11 February 2008)

External links

*'' The Oregon Encyclopedia'' entry o
C.E.S. Wood
*The ''

Oregon Blue Book The ''Oregon Blue Book'' is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon prepared by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. The ''Blue Book'' comes in both print and on ...

'' entry o
C.E.S. Wood
*The ''Lewis & Clark College's Digital Collections'' o
C.E.S. Wood
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Charles Erskine Scott Georgists American anarchists American lawyers Artists from California Writers from Erie, Pennsylvania Writers from Portland, Oregon 1852 births 1944 deaths Nez Perce War Baltimore City College alumni United States Army officers United States Military Academy alumni Oregon Democrats Writers from the San Francisco Bay Area American male writers Activists from California Artists from Erie, Pennsylvania People from Los Gatos, California