Two Into One: The Lives of Russ and Winnie Kingman (On The Trail to Glen Ellen)

On the Trail to Glen Ellen

In 1971 Russ met Charles Beardsley, co-owner with Bob Fritschi of an old mill property in Glen Ellen. Beardsley, along with the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce, was promoting a weekend festival at the mill site, featuring small shops, historic displays, and small eateries. On a visit to Jack London Square in Oakland, Beardsley discovered that Russ had an extensive collection of Jack London memorabilia and first editions. He persuaded Russ and Winnie to set up a museum display in the mill buildings for the weekend festivities. This they did, traveling each weekend to Glen Ellen while still working in the Bay Area. The routine had grown grueling and expensive, since they had rented a small cabin across the street from the mill. Still living in their apartment in Oakland, they had two rents, two phone bills, and other utilities, plus the expense of travel. In addition to running the museum, Russ had also started to sell books--primarily books by and about Jack London. One day Russ, who had started staying during the week too, said to Winnie, "This is too much. Let's move up to Glen Ellen. If we can't support ourselves selling books, we'll get part-time jobs to supplement our income." Winnie did commute for a while to Wyckoff Associates in San Francisco, but reluctantly quit to help Russ with the bookstore. From hindsight, Winnie said in 1995, "It's the best move Russ and I ever made. Russ and I made a living here until 1993, and I'm still hanging in there--doing my best."

The period between Russ's move to Oakland and founding of his own advertising agency and the decision by Russ and Winnie to run the bookstore full-time in Glen Ellen helped to lay the foundation for the London revival which blossomed from 1973 until Russ's death in 1993--and beyond. The "Oakland phase" could be referred to as critical networking. The period from 1973 on was nothing less than a Renaissance of London studies spearheaded by the indefatigable work of Russ Kingman and his helpmate, Winnie. There were many members of the London circle--academics, book collectors, entrepreneurs, hack writers, promising students, casual acquaintances, publishers, and trustees of the London Estate. The center of the circle, however, always was the Kingmans. In 1983 London buff Mike Bates published A Jack London Echo: A Tribute to Russ and Winnie Kingman. (Chester, South Carolina: The Ponderosa Press), a 96-page pamphlet which was distributed at the annual Jack London Birthday Banquet on January 15. In the "Foreword," Bates explains the occasion for the special publication:

In every field of endeavor, certain individuals seemingly rise above their counterparts. What particular qualities constitute such an elevation is uncertain, but most certainly knowledge of the subject matter, adherence to purpose and unswerving dedication to the promulgation of absolute truth are integral segments. It is not uncommon to find stalwarts in possession of any or all of these qualities. What is rare, however, is when a husband and wife team are so endowed. Such a team are Russ and Winnie Kingman.

When the Kingmans decided to dedicate their lives to the study of Jack London, it was a decision that affected not only the readers and scholars of today, but also generations of future literary advocates who might wish to research an episode of American grass roots literature.

Russ and Winnie have given unstintingly of themselves, their time, and even their material possessions in an effort to substantiate their belief that Jack London was more than just another turn-of-the-century American author. They believed that he, indeed, represented a way of life, offered a philosophy that is as pertinent today as it was in his own lifetime, and that his innovative writings shredded the veil of conventionalism and conservatism that permeated his era of authorship. The efforts of the Kingmans have gone too long unacknowledged.

The Echo tribute points to 1969 as the year Russ set off on the London trail. He opened his office in Jack London Square and was Executive Director of all Square activities. On February 17 Russ had gained approval from the Port Authority of Oakland to move the cabin. This included $10,000 to pay moving expenses and $8,000 to Wyckoff and Associates for their efforts. In August of that year, Russ placed an ad in the Antique Trader for any materials concerning Jack London. London buff Dave Schlottmannn was the first to respond, setting up a correspondence and personal relationship that lasted years. On December 23, Russ responded to Schlottmann, "My office is a veritable museum on Jack London." In this year Russ also began corresponding with Dale L. Walker. Though London activities were intensifying, 1968 was not a good year on the home front. In May Winnie's father died from lingering cancer. Their house in Mill Valley had been broken into, and their parakeet Buddy died. Tina, the German Shepherd who had taken Pat's place, had to be put to sleep. But they got a new pet, the cat Scamper, who liked to travel cross-country and who remained a family pet for 16 years.

In 1970 Russ continued his frenetic collection of Londoniana, met Waring Jones (who searched the Square in search of Russ's office and later plays a major financial role in the history of the Museum). Russ wrote to Schlottmann on September 14: "Someday I hope to have a Jack London Museum here at the Square. I'm not sure if I want it personal or owned by the Square." He met Andy Flink and Dale Walker in person for the first time and delivered a major lecture at the Oakland Public Library, West Auditorium, 124 14th Street, entitled "Jack London--Oakland's Misunderstood Son." The complete text of that early lecture is printed below because it reflects Russ's concern for preserving the past, his quest to set the record straight, and his evangelistic tone--no doubt gained from his ministry--in persuading others to the London cause.

Oakland's Misunderstood Son

Oakland has come a long way in the last few years. We have the magnificent Mormon Temple, the incomparable Jack London Square, the first museum this side of anywhere, a sports complex that is the envy of most cities, a rapidly developing downtown center, a marvelous airport, the world's No. 2 container port, the Oakland A's and those Raiders.

But, in my opinion, the finest thing that has happened to Oakland in the last 54 years is the Jack London Collection and Research Center. By its very nature it will expand into a center for all of Oakland's great authors.

We are starting late in the game and the score is against us. So much Jack London material has gone into Stanford, Huntington, B.C., Utah State and private libraries that we may never catch up; but with the Oakland spirit that is now evident, we will try. Who knows, we may have a George Blanda on our bench. This is Jack London's home and we must have the finest Jack London center in the world. In words that Churchill quoted from London--it may take blood, sweat and tears--but it can be done. It will cost money and it will cost time, but the goal is worth the price we must pay.

Oakland has a rich heritage in literature. At one time early in this century she was known as "The Athens of the West" and was the "literary capital of the Western World" in 1903. This was the year The Call of the Wild was published and brought instant and lasting world recognition to Jack London.

Those were the days of Herman Whitaker, Jimmy Hopper, George Sterling, Joaquin Miller, Ina Coolbrith, Gertrude Stein, Bret Harte, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edwin Markham, Ambrose Bierce, William Keith, Sturtevant Sterling, Grace Wisher, and many more.

We have been derelict--we have been almost criminal in our neglect of these people. Where are their statues? Their names rang around the world, but now the average child in Oakland does not know that they were Oaklanders.

Herman Whitaker was London's friend and protege. He wrote seven great novels and over 200 short stories for all the leading magazines of the country. He was one of the best known World War I reporters for many papers across the country and especially for our own Oakland Tribune.

Another great writer of those days--George Wharton James--wrote a 12-page article for a leading magazine on California's Literary Giants. He said that California had contributed four young giants to English fictional literature--Frank Norris, Jack London, John Fleming Wilson and Herman Whitaker.

Given a set of facts to study the average group of one hundred people will come up with one hundred different captions. However, their ideas will be reasonably valid because they started with facts.

Jack London has never had this advantage in his home town. For over fifty years the people of the Bay Area have been fed lies, myths, and half-truths about him. Biographers have been guilty of such shallow research that their books are full of mistakes and to this date no biographer has given you a true picture of Jack London.

Since there is now a world-wide resurging of interest in Jack London, it is imperative that we see him as he was and not as he has been distorted to be.

Jack London lived from January 12, 2024 to November 22, 1916, and his name was a household word in America during his lifetime; and since 1916, he has reached a pinnacle of fame throughout Europe that makes him still the most popular American author in the world. Fifty-three of his books have been printed and probably more has been written about London than any other author. His stories have been translated into fifty-eight or more languages and the list grows every year.

At the present time the works of Jack London are being printed by several publishers, his movies are being revived, and dedicated Jack London followers are legion. For instance, a movie has just been made of his most famous short story--"To Build a Fire." It will be shown on Channel Five this Saturday night at 7:30. It was filmed early this year on the very spot where the scene of the story took place--at the North Fork of Henderson Creek about ten miles from the location of the Jack London Cabin.

In 1912 Town Talk magazine listed Jack London as one of California's immortals. How right they were.

In 1956 an 8-volume set of London's novels, short stories and articles was published by subscription in 600,000 copies. It was sold out in five hours.

In 1954 Howard A. Burton of Indiana University compared Martin Eden with Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage. His conclusion was that London's work was clearly the better of the two.