Henry Payson Dowst
Encyclopedia
Henry Payson Dowst was an American novelist and short-story writer active in the early twentieth century. Born on December 15, 1876 in Bangor, Maine
and educated at Bangor High School, Dowst was a graduate of the Harvard class of 1899, and lived briefly in Calais, Maine
before becoming General Manager of the Boston publishing house Maynard & Co. In 1916 he want to work for a New York advertising agency, Frank Seaman, Inc., where he remained until his death at age 45.
Despite his day-jobs, Dowst was a prolific contributor of short stories and novelettes to magazines like The Saturday Evening Post
, People's Favorite Magazine, and Argosy All-Story Weekly. One bibliography has identified 35 Dowst stories published between 1913 and 1923, though the list is not exhaustive. He also wrote at least two novels in the same period, Bostwick's Budget (Brooklyn, ca. 1920) and The Man from Ashaluna (Boston: Small, Maynard & Co., ca. 1920), the second of which was produced as a film in 1924 (entitled On the Stroke of Three) starring Kenneth Harlan
. Four Dowst short stories were also filmed in his lifetime: An Honest Man (1918), The Redhead (1920, starring Alice Brady
), The Dancin' Fool (1920, starring Wallace Reid
), and Smiling All the Way (1920, from the story Alice in Underland). Dowst died at the very height of his writing career, his last novelette, The Hands of Man, being published posthumously in Munsey's Magazine
in 1923.
At least one of Dowst's stories was co-authored with his wife Margaret Starr Dowst, a graduate of Wellesley College, whom he married in 1900.
Dowst died in New York but was buried in Bangor.
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
and educated at Bangor High School, Dowst was a graduate of the Harvard class of 1899, and lived briefly in Calais, Maine
Calais, Maine
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
before becoming General Manager of the Boston publishing house Maynard & Co. In 1916 he want to work for a New York advertising agency, Frank Seaman, Inc., where he remained until his death at age 45.
Despite his day-jobs, Dowst was a prolific contributor of short stories and novelettes to magazines like The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, People's Favorite Magazine, and Argosy All-Story Weekly. One bibliography has identified 35 Dowst stories published between 1913 and 1923, though the list is not exhaustive. He also wrote at least two novels in the same period, Bostwick's Budget (Brooklyn, ca. 1920) and The Man from Ashaluna (Boston: Small, Maynard & Co., ca. 1920), the second of which was produced as a film in 1924 (entitled On the Stroke of Three) starring Kenneth Harlan
Kenneth Harlan
Kenneth Harlan was an American leading man of the silent film era, playing mostly romantic leads or adventurer types.-Career:...
. Four Dowst short stories were also filmed in his lifetime: An Honest Man (1918), The Redhead (1920, starring Alice Brady
Alice Brady
Alice Brady was an American actress who began her career in the silent film era and survived the transition into talkies. She worked up until six months before her death from cancer in 1939...
), The Dancin' Fool (1920, starring Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid was an actor in silent film referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover".-Early life:Born William Wallace Reid in St...
), and Smiling All the Way (1920, from the story Alice in Underland). Dowst died at the very height of his writing career, his last novelette, The Hands of Man, being published posthumously in Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Weekly, later known as Munsey's Magazine was a thirty-six page quarto magazine founded by Frank A. Munsey in 1889. Munsey aimed at "a magazine of the people and for the people, with pictures and art and good cheer and human interest throughout". John Kendrick Bangs was the editor. The...
in 1923.
At least one of Dowst's stories was co-authored with his wife Margaret Starr Dowst, a graduate of Wellesley College, whom he married in 1900.
Dowst died in New York but was buried in Bangor.