Charles Erskine Scott Wood (February 20, 1852January 22, 1944), also known as C. E. S. Wood, 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 of ...

advocate, artist, soldier, attorney, and

Georgist Georgism, in modern times also called Geoism, and known historically as the single tax movement, is an economic ideology holding that people should own the value that they produce themselves, while the economic rent derived from land—includ ...

. 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. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pen ...

, Wood graduated from

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

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; March 3, 1840 – September 21, 1904), popularly known as Chief Joseph, Young Joseph, or Joseph the Younger, 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 the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

, 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 pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

activist

Margaret Sanger Margaret Sanger ( Higgins; September 14, 1879September 6, 1966) was an American birth control activist, sex educator, writer, and nurse. She opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, founded Planned Parenthood, and was instr ...

. 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 the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

, championed defense of the

gold standard A gold standard is a backed currency, monetary system in which the standard economics, 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 ...

and

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold Economic liberalism, economically liberal positions, while economic nationalist politica ...

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

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

, 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, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

and other territories conquered in the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

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 Anarchism, anarchist revolutionary, political activist, and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europ ...

.Beito, David T., & Beito, Linda Royster (2000)
"Gold Democrats and the Decline of Classical Liberalism, 1896–1900"
. ''The Independent Review'' (IV), 555–575. He wrote articles for radical journals such as ''

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

'', ''

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

'', 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 Ear ...

''. He was a

philosophical anarchist Philosophical anarchism is an anarchist school of thought which focuses on intellectual criticism of authority, especially political power, and the legitimacy of governments. The American anarchist and socialist Benjamin Tucker coined the term '' ...

and declared himself as such before an

Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), whose members are nicknamed "Wobblies", is an international labor union founded in Chicago, United States in 1905. The nickname's origin is uncertain. Its ideology combines general unionism with indu ...

audience. 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 List of municipalities in California, incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population is 33,529 according to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located in the San Franc ...

. 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 and Arabella Huntington in San Marino, California, United State ...

has a good sampling of his artwork online.

Time in Los Gatos

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. The sculptures were made by sculptor Robert Paine, and an image of them is featured on the seal of the town of

Los Gatos 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 t ...

. Many famous people visited this home, including

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (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 considered o ...

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( ; October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, first lady of the United States, during her husband Franklin D ...

, and

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

Friends

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 19th century for high-profile representations of trade union causes, and in the 20th century for several criminal matters, including the ...

Eugene Debs Eugene Victor Debs (November 5, 1855 – October 20, 1926) was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and five-time candidate of the Socialist Party o ...

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 Impressionis ...

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' poetry was written in narrative and Epic poetry, epic form. However, he is also known f ...

, and

Death and legacy

At the time of his death, Wood was West Point's oldest living graduate. He was the father of Nan Wood Honeyman, Oregon's first U. S. congresswoman.

Portrayal in film

Wood was portrayed by

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. With a career spanning over five decades of film and television, he is recognized for his deep sonorous voice. Elliott has received various accolades, including a Screen Actors ...

in the

TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a terrest ...

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

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

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

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 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 books on ra ...

, 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,
Charles Erskine Scott Wood
'' (Boise, Idaho: Boise State University, 1990) *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 public broadcasting, public media organization for the U.S. state of Oregon as well as southern Washington (state), Washington. It provides news, information, and programming via television stati ...

(11 February 2008)

External links

*''

The Oregon Encyclopedia ''The Oregon Encyclopedia of History and Culture'' is a collaborative encyclopedia focused on the history and culture of the U.S. state of Oregon. Description The encyclopedia is a project of Portland State University's History Department, the O ...

'' 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 o ...

'' 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