The Charles Major Papers

Charles Major (1856-1913).

The novels of Charles Major perpetuated the field of literature and brought him notoriety around the turn of the 20th century. Likewise, he made his mark at Purdue University through his services as a member of the the Board of Trustees (1902-1913). His private library is housed in Purdue University's Archives and Special Collections, and includes both books and manuscripts, many of which are his original writings.

Major was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 25, 1856. His family later moved to nearby Shelbyville, Indiana, when he was thirteen years old. He attended the University of Michigan law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1877. His chief interest, surpassing even his interest in the study of law, was in the Tudor period of English history. Later he became equally interested in local Indiana history. He married Alice Shaw of Shelbyville, Indiana, on September 27, 1885.

His first novel, When Knighthood was in Flower (1898), brought him instant fame. Some of his other works in the Collection include: The Bears of Blue River (1901), Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (1902), Forest Hearth: A Romance of Indiana in the Thirties (1903), and Little King: a Story of the Childhood of Louis XIV, King of France (1910).

Charles Major died at age 57, after less than twenty years as a writer. He was once asked how a novel was written and he replied, "I believe [novels] grow out of what I read more than from any other sources."