He carried the baton Forteana.
Donald Dumont Whitacre was born 29 June 1920 in Ohio, making him among the youngest of the early Forteans. (Fort’s first book was published in late 1919; Whitacre was not quite 12 when Fort died.) His father, Frank, was a carpenter. His mother was the former Helen Runyan. I cannot find the family in the 1930 census, but they are in the 1940 one, apparently having weathered the Depression well. They owned a $1,500 home. Donald was the only child. Nannie Runyan—Helen’s mother—also lived with them then. The census was taken 15 April 1940 and Donald was listed as single, but he was probably already engaged by then, to Charlene Sherman, some two years his junior.
In August 1941, Donald and Charlene had their first child, a son, Roger Lynn. A second son, Gordon, followed not long after. I cannot find a draft card for Donald, though he would have been prime age for World War II. Presumably, he did not serve. Notes in the Ohio press have him living a conventional life, with frequent dinners hosted for his parents and in-laws. Donald was associated with the Ohio State Archeological and Historical Society and was also a writer for newspapers and magazines. He credited two men with helping him to launch his writing career. One was the naturalist Frank O. Hazard and the other was the novelist Louis Bromfield. According to reports, his writings and columns appeared in Country Magazine, Ohio Magazine, as well as other national publications, but I have not been able to find them.
Donald Dumont Whitacre was born 29 June 1920 in Ohio, making him among the youngest of the early Forteans. (Fort’s first book was published in late 1919; Whitacre was not quite 12 when Fort died.) His father, Frank, was a carpenter. His mother was the former Helen Runyan. I cannot find the family in the 1930 census, but they are in the 1940 one, apparently having weathered the Depression well. They owned a $1,500 home. Donald was the only child. Nannie Runyan—Helen’s mother—also lived with them then. The census was taken 15 April 1940 and Donald was listed as single, but he was probably already engaged by then, to Charlene Sherman, some two years his junior.
In August 1941, Donald and Charlene had their first child, a son, Roger Lynn. A second son, Gordon, followed not long after. I cannot find a draft card for Donald, though he would have been prime age for World War II. Presumably, he did not serve. Notes in the Ohio press have him living a conventional life, with frequent dinners hosted for his parents and in-laws. Donald was associated with the Ohio State Archeological and Historical Society and was also a writer for newspapers and magazines. He credited two men with helping him to launch his writing career. One was the naturalist Frank O. Hazard and the other was the novelist Louis Bromfield. According to reports, his writings and columns appeared in Country Magazine, Ohio Magazine, as well as other national publications, but I have not been able to find them.