Charles Heber Clark
Encyclopedia
Charles Heber Clark was an American novelist and humorist. Most of his work was written under the pseudonym Max Adeler. Earlier, he used the "John Quill" pseudonym
He was born in Berlin Md, the son of William J. Clark, an Episcopal clergyman whose abolitionist sympathies made his stay short in Southern parishes. Charles was educated at a school in Georgetown, D.C., and at the age of fifteen became an office boy in a Philadelphia commission house. During the American Civil War
, he enlisted in the Union Army
, and was discharged two years later at the close of the war. He then became a reporter on the Philadelphia Inquirer, and within two months was promoted to editorial writer. Later he was dramatic and music critic of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
, and an editorial writer on the North American. His was interested in economics, and he was a strong advocate of a high tariff. The bias led him to become editor and proprietor of the Textile Record, a founder and secretary of the Manufacturers' Club, and editor of its organ, the Manufacturer. Clark was also on the board of directors of the Johnson and Johnson medical supply company. He became independently wealthy through investments and retired from editorial work to his suburban home at Conshohocken, Pa. He was twice married, his first wife having been Clara Lukens; she died in 1895 and two years later he married Elizabeth Killé Clark, a "distant cousin." Clark was the sister of Walter Leighton Clark
, an industrialist and founder of the Grand Central Art Galleries
.
Nearly all of Clark's writing was published under the pseudonym of “Max Adeler.” His best known work was Out of the Hurly Burly, extremely popular in its time and almost forgotten today. Its boisterous, extravagant humor made Clark's work highly popular in England for many years, and some of his work was initially published there. "Out of the Hurly Burly" was the first book illustrated by comics pioneer A. B. Frost
, who would also illustrate other books by Clark. Some of the pieces in Clark/Adeler's books hold up quite well today.
A subject of much contention was Clark's claim that Mark Twain
plagiarized his 1880 novelette "Fortunate Island" with "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," published in 1889. Twain actually wrote what he considered a rebuttal to the charge, only he compared "Yankee" to Clark's story "An Old Fogey" which also appeared in the same volume as "Fortunate Island." Additionally, Twain and Clark had a long running feud dating back to the early 1870s, where each writer accused the other of plagiarism. One piece by Twain attacking Clark (as "John Quill" but not actually named) appeared in Galaxy Magazine in 1870, entitled "A Literary Old Offender in Court with Suspicious Property in His Possession."
Clark hated his own reputation as a humorist in later years and gave up humor for a while. He returned to it in the early years of the twentieth century, writing light pieces for magazines, and a few nostalgia-laced romances.
"Elbow-Room; A Novel Without a Plot" (1876)
"Random Shots" (London - 1878)
"An Old Fogey and Other Stories" (London - 1881)
"The Fortunate Island and Other Stories" (US edition of "An Old Fogey and Other Stories) (1882)
"Captain Bluitt, A tale of Old Turly" (1901)
"The Quakeress, a Tale" (1905)
He was born in Berlin Md, the son of William J. Clark, an Episcopal clergyman whose abolitionist sympathies made his stay short in Southern parishes. Charles was educated at a school in Georgetown, D.C., and at the age of fifteen became an office boy in a Philadelphia commission house. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, and was discharged two years later at the close of the war. He then became a reporter on the Philadelphia Inquirer, and within two months was promoted to editorial writer. Later he was dramatic and music critic of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
Philadelphia Bulletin
For the 2004 resurrection of the Bulletin, see The Bulletin .The Philadelphia Bulletin was a daily evening newspaper published from 1847 to 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the largest circulation newspaper in Philadelphia for 76 years and was once the largest evening newspaper in the...
, and an editorial writer on the North American. His was interested in economics, and he was a strong advocate of a high tariff. The bias led him to become editor and proprietor of the Textile Record, a founder and secretary of the Manufacturers' Club, and editor of its organ, the Manufacturer. Clark was also on the board of directors of the Johnson and Johnson medical supply company. He became independently wealthy through investments and retired from editorial work to his suburban home at Conshohocken, Pa. He was twice married, his first wife having been Clara Lukens; she died in 1895 and two years later he married Elizabeth Killé Clark, a "distant cousin." Clark was the sister of Walter Leighton Clark
Walter Leighton Clark
Walter Leighton Clark was an American businessman, inventor, and artist based in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and New York City. Among other achievements, in 1923 he founded with John Singer Sargent the Grand Central Art Galleries, located within New York City's Grand Central Terminal, to offer...
, an industrialist and founder of the Grand Central Art Galleries
Grand Central Art Galleries
The Grand Central Art Galleries were the exhibition and administrative space of the nonprofit Painters and Sculptors Gallery Association, an artists' cooperative established in 1922 by Walter Leighton Clark together with John Singer Sargent, Edmund Greacen, and others...
.
Nearly all of Clark's writing was published under the pseudonym of “Max Adeler.” His best known work was Out of the Hurly Burly, extremely popular in its time and almost forgotten today. Its boisterous, extravagant humor made Clark's work highly popular in England for many years, and some of his work was initially published there. "Out of the Hurly Burly" was the first book illustrated by comics pioneer A. B. Frost
A. B. Frost
Arthur Burdett Frost , was an early American illustrator, graphic artist and comics writer. He was also well known as a painter. Frost's work is well known for its dynamic representation of motion and sequence. Frost is considered one of the great illustrators in the "Golden Age of American...
, who would also illustrate other books by Clark. Some of the pieces in Clark/Adeler's books hold up quite well today.
A subject of much contention was Clark's claim that Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
plagiarized his 1880 novelette "Fortunate Island" with "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," published in 1889. Twain actually wrote what he considered a rebuttal to the charge, only he compared "Yankee" to Clark's story "An Old Fogey" which also appeared in the same volume as "Fortunate Island." Additionally, Twain and Clark had a long running feud dating back to the early 1870s, where each writer accused the other of plagiarism. One piece by Twain attacking Clark (as "John Quill" but not actually named) appeared in Galaxy Magazine in 1870, entitled "A Literary Old Offender in Court with Suspicious Property in His Possession."
Clark hated his own reputation as a humorist in later years and gave up humor for a while. He returned to it in the early years of the twentieth century, writing light pieces for magazines, and a few nostalgia-laced romances.
A partial Bibliography of significant work includes
Out of the Hurly Burly; or, Life in an Odd Corner (1874)"Elbow-Room; A Novel Without a Plot" (1876)
"Random Shots" (London - 1878)
"An Old Fogey and Other Stories" (London - 1881)
"The Fortunate Island and Other Stories" (US edition of "An Old Fogey and Other Stories) (1882)
"Captain Bluitt, A tale of Old Turly" (1901)
"The Quakeress, a Tale" (1905)
External links
- Out of The Hurly-Burly in various formats at Ex-Classics Web Site
- Over 70 Max Adeler Stories read on Mister Ron's Basement Podcast, now indexed to make them easy to find
- The Secret of Max Adeler's Name
- Charles Heber Clark at Johnson and Johnson