Lela Cole Kitson
Encyclopedia
Lela Margaret Cole Kitson (May 25, 1891 in Hill City, South Dakota
– November 25, 1970 in El Paso, Texas
) was a freelance writer of primarily western romances from 1920 to 1955.
. Besides her own name, Kitson wrote under the pen name
s Lupe Loya, Elsie Kay, Cole Kitson, Shirley Manners and Susan Cole. Her newspaper career included: The Tucson Star 1912–14; The Los Angeles Times 1922–? as feature writer; The El Paso Herald Post 1943–50 as Woman's Page Editor and the Hudsbeth County News 1964–1970 as "The Observer", a political commentary column.
, and was the eldest and only daughter of six children. Her father's upward move in the mining plant design and reduction machinery design led the family in 1896 to Chicago, Illinois, in 1900 to Aspen, Colorado
, and in 1902 to Cananea
, Mexico. Higher education was not available in Cananea so she was sent to the Marlborough School for Girls located in Los Angeles, where other Cole family members resided, including her great-granduncle U.S. Senator Cornelius Cole
.
Following her graduation from Marlborough and a 1911 trip to Japan with the Mining Association, she joined her family in Tucson, Arizona
in 1912, working for the Tucson Star Newspaper as Society Editor. In 1914 she married Howard Waldo Kitson of New York City, a 1909 Columbia College graduate specializing in mining and geology, in Morenci, Arizona
where he was employed.
Following the death of their son in late 1917, the Kitsons moved to New York City, where they boarded with his mother, silent film actress May Kitson
. In early 1918 Mrs. Kitson joined the Author's League of America. For the birth of their daughter she removed to El Paso where her parents had moved in 1917. Between 1919 and the 1931 suicide of her husband Waldo in Long Beach, the Kitsons lived in Arizona
and California. Whenever Waldo was out in the field, Lela and their daughter temporarily moved back to El Paso, Texas where they resided with her parents.
In 1921 Street and Smith was the first publisher of her short romantic stories written under Lupe Loya. Their publication was Western Story Magazine. Between 1927 and 1931 she also wrote under the name Elsie Kay. Lela wrote advice stories in Picture Play, also a Street & Smith publication. In 1926 The Clayton Magazines Inc. added Lela to their stable of writers. As Lupe Loya, her romantic tales were published in Ranch Romances, Western Love Stories and Ranchland Love Stories. In 1933 Warner Publishing Inc
took over Street & Smith and continued publishing Lupe Loya stories in RANCH ROMANCES. More than twice her stories were featured on the magazine cover. In the 40s and 50s her pseudonym was Shirley Manners and her publisher was Standard Magazines Inc, "Thrilling Love".
Lela also wrote freelance for the Los Angeles Times
and other publications. In 1943 Lela joined the El Paso Herald-Post
a Scripps-Howard News
publication as the Woman's Page Editor, a position she held until 1950. She then began a radio show "Woman to Woman" on KTSM El Paso Texas
, a CBS affiliate. In 1964, under the pen name "The Observer", Lela wrote a political column for the Hudsbeth County News, a bi-monthly newspaper published in Dell City, Texas
, which she continued until her death.
Hill City, South Dakota
Hill City is the oldest existing city in Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 948 at the 2010 census. Hill City is located southwest of Rapid City on State Highway 16 and on U.S. Route 385 that connects Deadwood to Hot Springs...
– November 25, 1970 in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
) was a freelance writer of primarily western romances from 1920 to 1955.
Newspapers
Later she worked in the newspaper and radio industries in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. Besides her own name, Kitson wrote under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
s Lupe Loya, Elsie Kay, Cole Kitson, Shirley Manners and Susan Cole. Her newspaper career included: The Tucson Star 1912–14; The Los Angeles Times 1922–? as feature writer; The El Paso Herald Post 1943–50 as Woman's Page Editor and the Hudsbeth County News 1964–1970 as "The Observer", a political commentary column.
History
She was born to David Cole of New York and Maude Carr of WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and was the eldest and only daughter of six children. Her father's upward move in the mining plant design and reduction machinery design led the family in 1896 to Chicago, Illinois, in 1900 to Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, and in 1902 to Cananea
Cananea
-Economy:Mining is the main source of revenue for Cananea and will be for the foreseeable future. Eighty percent of the population is directly or indirectly supported by mining companies in Cananea. The first and most important mining company is Mexicana de Cananea, S.A. de C.V. owned by and...
, Mexico. Higher education was not available in Cananea so she was sent to the Marlborough School for Girls located in Los Angeles, where other Cole family members resided, including her great-granduncle U.S. Senator Cornelius Cole
Cornelius Cole
Cornelius Cole served a single term in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican representing California from 1863 to 1865, and another term in the United States Senate from 1867 to 1873.-Life:...
.
Following her graduation from Marlborough and a 1911 trip to Japan with the Mining Association, she joined her family in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
in 1912, working for the Tucson Star Newspaper as Society Editor. In 1914 she married Howard Waldo Kitson of New York City, a 1909 Columbia College graduate specializing in mining and geology, in Morenci, Arizona
Morenci, Arizona
Morenci is a census-designated place in Greenlee County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,879 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area...
where he was employed.
Following the death of their son in late 1917, the Kitsons moved to New York City, where they boarded with his mother, silent film actress May Kitson
May Kitson
May Kitson , born Mary Ann Morrell, was an American silent film character actor active between 1917 and 1925, known to close family as "De-ah."-Family:...
. In early 1918 Mrs. Kitson joined the Author's League of America. For the birth of their daughter she removed to El Paso where her parents had moved in 1917. Between 1919 and the 1931 suicide of her husband Waldo in Long Beach, the Kitsons lived in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and California. Whenever Waldo was out in the field, Lela and their daughter temporarily moved back to El Paso, Texas where they resided with her parents.
In 1921 Street and Smith was the first publisher of her short romantic stories written under Lupe Loya. Their publication was Western Story Magazine. Between 1927 and 1931 she also wrote under the name Elsie Kay. Lela wrote advice stories in Picture Play, also a Street & Smith publication. In 1926 The Clayton Magazines Inc. added Lela to their stable of writers. As Lupe Loya, her romantic tales were published in Ranch Romances, Western Love Stories and Ranchland Love Stories. In 1933 Warner Publishing Inc
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
took over Street & Smith and continued publishing Lupe Loya stories in RANCH ROMANCES. More than twice her stories were featured on the magazine cover. In the 40s and 50s her pseudonym was Shirley Manners and her publisher was Standard Magazines Inc, "Thrilling Love".
Lela also wrote freelance for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
and other publications. In 1943 Lela joined the El Paso Herald-Post
El Paso Herald-Post
The El Paso Herald-Post was an afternoon daily newspaper in El Paso, Texas, USA. It was the successor to the El Paso Herald, first published in 1881, and the El Paso Post, founded by the E. W. Scripps Company in 1922...
a Scripps-Howard News
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
publication as the Woman's Page Editor, a position she held until 1950. She then began a radio show "Woman to Woman" on KTSM El Paso Texas
KTSM-FM
KTSM-FM is an Adult Contemporary radio station in El Paso, Texas. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is a sister to KTSM 690 and was formerly a sister station to KTSM-TV...
, a CBS affiliate. In 1964, under the pen name "The Observer", Lela wrote a political column for the Hudsbeth County News, a bi-monthly newspaper published in Dell City, Texas
Dell City, Texas
Dell City is a city in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. The population was 413 at the 2000 census.It was incorporated in 1948 shortly after the discovery of an underground water supply by oil prospectors, which attracted farmers to the area...
, which she continued until her death.
Works (A partial list)
- Loya, Lupe; pseudonym of Lela Cole Kitson, (1891–1970) (chron.)
- Archibald Tries Life in the Open, (ss) Western Story Magazine May 6, 1922
- Cactus Turns the Other Cheek, (ss) The Live Wire June 1925
- Clementine, (ss) Western Story Magazine April 16, 1921
- Cosey Corner Changes Cooks, (ss) Western Story Magazine February 17, 1923
- Desert Vistas, (ar) Western Story Magazine July 16, 1921
- The Dog That Isn’t a Dog, (ss) Western Story Magazine October 1, 1921
- Has the Coon Butte Mystery Been Solved?, (ar) Western Story Magazine September 16, 1922
- Joe’s Pets, (ss) Western Story Magazine November 29, 1924
- Peace on Earth, (nv) Ranch Romances December 3, 1932
- Puncher vs. Poet, (ss) Western Story Magazine June 24, 1922
- Rio Grande Romance, (ss) Ranch Romances April 2, 1941
- The Rodeo at El Paso, (ar) Western Story Magazine July 9, 1921
- The Sea in the Desert, (ar) Western Story Magazine October 29, 1921
- Temperamental Tillie, (ss) Western Story Magazine October 21, 1922
- Uncle Caleb Dodges Matrimony, (ss) Western Story Magazine September 3, 1921
- The White Chink, (ss) Western Story Magazine December 23, 1922
- Will Big Game Come Back?, (ar) Western Story Magazine September 24, 1921