Samuel Shellabarger (18 May 1888 – 21 March 1954) was an American educator and author of both scholarly works and best-selling

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to oth ...

s. Born 18 May 1888 in Washington, D.C., Shellabarger was orphaned in infancy, upon the death of both his father Robert and his mother Elizabeth, in January 1889. Samuel resultantly was raised in the household of his paternal grandfather also named Samuel Shellabarger, a noted lawyer who had served in Congress during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and as Minister to Portugal. The younger Samuel Shellabarger's travels with his grandfather would prove invaluable in the provision of background material for the former's historical novels. Shellabarger attended private schools and in 1909 graduated from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, where he would later teach. After studying for a year at

Munich University The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public university, public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke ...

in Germany, he resumed his studies at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

and

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. Despite taking a year off to serve in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he received his doctorate in 1917. In 1915 he married Vivan Georgia Lovegrove Borg whom he had met the year before during a vacation in Sweden. They had four children, but the two boys died: one as an infant and the other serving in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. From 1938 to 1946 Samuel Shellabarger served as the head of Columbus School for Girls in Columbus, Ohio. Shellabarger himself died of a heart attack at his

Princeton, New Jersey The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...

home on 21 March 1954. Having already published some scholarly works and not wanting to undermine their credibility by publishing fiction, Shellabarger used pen names for his first mysteries and romances: "John Esteven" and then "Peter Loring." He continued to write scholarly works and to teach, but his historical novels proved so popular that he soon started using his own name on them. Some of them were best-sellers and were made into movies.

Works of fiction

* ''The Door of Death'' (1928 as John Esteven) * ''The Chevalier Bayard'' (1928) * ''The Black Gale'' (1929) * ''Voodoo. A Murder Mystery'' (1930 as John Esteven) * ''By Night at Dinsmore'' (1935 as John Esteven) * ''Lord Chesterfield and His World'' (1935) * ''While Murder Waits'' (1936-37 as John Esteven) * ''Graveyard Watch'' (1938 as John Esteven) * ''Blind Man's Night'' (1938 as John Esteven) * ''Assurance Double Sure'' (1939 as John Esteven) * ''Grief Before Night'' (1938 as Peter Loring) * ''Miss Rolling Stone Who Travels Alone'' (1939 as Peter Loring) * ''Captain from Castile'' (1946) (1947 film starring

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

Cesar Romero César Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost 60 years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lover (stereotype), Latin lovers, historical ...

, Lee J. Cobb) * '' Prince of Foxes'' (1947) (1949 film starring

and

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

) * '' The King's Cavalier'' (1950) * ''Lord Vanity'' (1953) * ''The Token'' (1955) * ''Tolbecken'' (1956)

References

External links

*
Biography and Bibliography of Samuel Shellabarger by Jesse F. Knight
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shellabarger, Samuel 1888 births 1954 deaths 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American male writers American historical novelists American male novelists Harvard University alumni Princeton University alumni Novelists from Washington, D.C.