A Fortean associated with the Society seemingly to pay science fiction’s—and late 20th century fantastic fiction’s, generally—debt to Charles Fort. And perhaps to find more customers.
August Derleth is well known to aficionados of weird and fantastic literature, almost too well known to warrant much biographical information. Almost. He was born 24 February 1909 to William Julius and Rose Louise Volk Derleth and grew up in Sauk City, Wisconsin, making him a generational and regional peer of Thayer, and more than forty years Fort’s junior. Three of his grandparents and both of his parents had been born in Wisconsin; the fourth grandparent, his mother’s father, came from Germany. He was named after his father’s father. William and Rose married in 1907; William worked as a blacksmith, repairing agricultural machinery, and in a wagon shop. The family did well enough that they owned their home by 1920, free and clear. August had one sister, Hildred, born two years after him.
August Derleth is well known to aficionados of weird and fantastic literature, almost too well known to warrant much biographical information. Almost. He was born 24 February 1909 to William Julius and Rose Louise Volk Derleth and grew up in Sauk City, Wisconsin, making him a generational and regional peer of Thayer, and more than forty years Fort’s junior. Three of his grandparents and both of his parents had been born in Wisconsin; the fourth grandparent, his mother’s father, came from Germany. He was named after his father’s father. William and Rose married in 1907; William worked as a blacksmith, repairing agricultural machinery, and in a wagon shop. The family did well enough that they owned their home by 1920, free and clear. August had one sister, Hildred, born two years after him.