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Decker Press

January 31, 2023

The Press of James A. Decker was a poetry publishing house once located in the tiny hamlet of Prairie City, Illinois. Created in 1937 by James A. Decker, the press carried the full name of its founder until 1948 when the imprint was shortened to simply the Decker Press.[1] The Decker Press received national attention in the 1940s, when it published work by famous authors such as Edgar Lee Masters, August Derleth, Hubert Creekmore, William Everson (Brother Antoninus), David Ignatow, Kenneth Patchen, Kenneth Rexroth and Louis Zukofsky.[2] The small press was noted as one of the most prolific publishers of poetry in the country at the time, but the business was plagued by financial issues until the press came to a sudden end in 1950 with a murder-suicide case.[1][3][4]

The Decker family

James A. Decker, the founder of the Decker Press, was born in 1917 in Prairie City, Illinois, to Ulah and Arthur Decker.[2] His younger sister Dorothy was born in 1921.[1] His father Arthur worked in a drugstore owned by Ulah's father, Eldon James.[3] James Decker graduated from Prairie City High School in 1934 and then attended Park College in Missouri from 1934 to 1935 before returning to Prairie City.[3]

History of the Press

James Decker returned to Prairie City with the goal of combining his passion for poetry and his interest in publishing. Decker obtained a small hand press, which he set up in the back room of his grandfather's drug store.[3] In 1937, he began printing volumes of poetry, with the help of his sister Dorothy. Dorothy continued to work as an employee of the press throughout its operation, including while James served in the military from 1943 to 1945.[1]

The press began gaining attention after James Decker obtained permission to print two of Edgar Lee Masters’ collections: Illinois Poems, published in 1941, and Along the Illinois, published in 1942.[1][3] The press began to attract other poets from across the country, but Decker struggled with the funding to finance the work. By 1947, the press was facing financial difficulties, and Decker sold it to a local businessman and lumber dealer, Harry M. Denman.[2] A few months later, Denman sold the press to Ervin Tax, a writer from Chicago whose work was scheduled to be published by the Decker Press.[4] Impatient with the delays, Tax traveled to Prairie City to see the press for himself and soon became involved in the financial and administrative oversight. In 1948 Tax purchased the press, changing the name to simply The Decker Press.[1]

Despite Tax's efforts, the financial difficulties of the press continued, and interpersonal relationships began to unravel. As ownership of the press changed hands, James and Dorothy Decker had continued to work as employees, but in 1949 Tax announced that James Decker had been dismissed after mishandling funds.[1] Rather than challenging these accusations of embezzlement, Decker left Prairie City, moving his family to Kansas City.[2] Dorothy remained behind, but her relationship with Tax deteriorated.[3] In May 1950, after driving to pick up Tax who was returning from a trip out of town, Dorothy shot him in the head before killing herself.[1] Their bodies were discovered in the car on the side of the road just outside Prairie City on May 11, 1950.[5]

Selected authors

Legacy

The Archives and Special Collections Unit at Western Illinois University Libraries is the single-largest holder of materials from the Press of James A. Decker. Archives staff has compiled a complete bibliography of Decker Press books with a listing of which books are currently held there. Other materials include articles, photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, historical records, and unpublished typescripts about the Decker Press and James Decker.[7]


References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Ballowe, James. "Little Press on the Prairie". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Decker Press - Article by John Hallwas". www.connectotel.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Hallwas, John (August 2019). "An Array of Forgotten Voices: The Decker Press". Illinois Heritage magazine. 22: 10–12.
  4. ^ a b Wharton, Will (1950). "Correspondence". Poetry. 77 (1): 58–58. ISSN 0032-2032.
  5. ^ "Couple Found Slain in Car; Woman Blamed". Chicago Daily Tribune. 11 May 1950.
  6. ^ "Archives - Decker Press Bibliography - Western Illinois University". www.wiu.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  7. ^ "Archives - Decker Press Collection - Western Illinois University". www.wiu.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-29.

January 31, 2023
decker, press, press, james, decker, poetry, publishing, house, once, located, tiny, hamlet, prairie, city, illinois, created, 1937, james, decker, press, carried, full, name, founder, until, 1948, when, imprint, shortened, simply, received, national, attentio. The Press of James A Decker was a poetry publishing house once located in the tiny hamlet of Prairie City Illinois Created in 1937 by James A Decker the press carried the full name of its founder until 1948 when the imprint was shortened to simply the Decker Press 1 The Decker Press received national attention in the 1940s when it published work by famous authors such as Edgar Lee Masters August Derleth Hubert Creekmore William Everson Brother Antoninus David Ignatow Kenneth Patchen Kenneth Rexroth and Louis Zukofsky 2 The small press was noted as one of the most prolific publishers of poetry in the country at the time but the business was plagued by financial issues until the press came to a sudden end in 1950 with a murder suicide case 1 3 4 Contents 1 The Decker family 2 History of the Press 3 Selected authors 4 Legacy 5 ReferencesThe Decker family EditJames A Decker the founder of the Decker Press was born in 1917 in Prairie City Illinois to Ulah and Arthur Decker 2 His younger sister Dorothy was born in 1921 1 His father Arthur worked in a drugstore owned by Ulah s father Eldon James 3 James Decker graduated from Prairie City High School in 1934 and then attended Park College in Missouri from 1934 to 1935 before returning to Prairie City 3 History of the Press EditJames Decker returned to Prairie City with the goal of combining his passion for poetry and his interest in publishing Decker obtained a small hand press which he set up in the back room of his grandfather s drug store 3 In 1937 he began printing volumes of poetry with the help of his sister Dorothy Dorothy continued to work as an employee of the press throughout its operation including while James served in the military from 1943 to 1945 1 The press began gaining attention after James Decker obtained permission to print two of Edgar Lee Masters collections Illinois Poems published in 1941 and Along the Illinois published in 1942 1 3 The press began to attract other poets from across the country but Decker struggled with the funding to finance the work By 1947 the press was facing financial difficulties and Decker sold it to a local businessman and lumber dealer Harry M Denman 2 A few months later Denman sold the press to Ervin Tax a writer from Chicago whose work was scheduled to be published by the Decker Press 4 Impatient with the delays Tax traveled to Prairie City to see the press for himself and soon became involved in the financial and administrative oversight In 1948 Tax purchased the press changing the name to simply The Decker Press 1 Despite Tax s efforts the financial difficulties of the press continued and interpersonal relationships began to unravel As ownership of the press changed hands James and Dorothy Decker had continued to work as employees but in 1949 Tax announced that James Decker had been dismissed after mishandling funds 1 Rather than challenging these accusations of embezzlement Decker left Prairie City moving his family to Kansas City 2 Dorothy remained behind but her relationship with Tax deteriorated 3 In May 1950 after driving to pick up Tax who was returning from a trip out of town Dorothy shot him in the head before killing herself 1 Their bodies were discovered in the car on the side of the road just outside Prairie City on May 11 1950 5 Selected authors EditSylvia Trent Auxier Meadow Rue 1948 Tom Boggs editor Lyric Moderns in Brief Some Modern Poets 1940 New Poets an Anthology of Seven Young Contemporary Poets Tom Boggs John Ciardi Robert Clairmont M Gellert Lucy Kent E L Mayo Marshall Schacht 1941 An American Anthology 67 Poems Now in Anthology Form For The First Time 1942 Herbert Bruncken Noise in Time 1949 Carlos Bulosan Letter from America 1942 Hubert Creekmore Personal Sun 1940 August Derleth Rind of Earth 1942 Selected Poems 1944 The Edge of Night 1945 William Everson The Masculine Dead 1942 Robert Friend Shadow on the Sun 1941 Martha K Graham Prairie City Poems 1940 Listen Forever 1940 Words for the Music 1942 David Ignatow Poems 1948 Edgar Lee Masters Illinois Poems 1941 Along the Illinois 1942 Lorine Niedecker New Goose 1946 Kenneth Patchen To Say If You Love Someone 1947 Kenneth Rexroth The Art of Worldly Wisdom 1949 Edouard Roditi Prison Within Prison 1941 Winfield Townley Scott Wind the Clock 1941 Louis Zukofsky 55 Poems 1941 Anew 1946 6 Legacy EditThe Archives and Special Collections Unit at Western Illinois University Libraries is the single largest holder of materials from the Press of James A Decker Archives staff has compiled a complete bibliography of Decker Press books with a listing of which books are currently held there Other materials include articles photographs correspondence newspaper clippings historical records and unpublished typescripts about the Decker Press and James Decker 7 References Edit a b c d e f g h Ballowe James Little Press on the Prairie Chicago Reader Retrieved 2020 12 29 a b c d The Decker Press Article by John Hallwas www connectotel com Retrieved 2020 10 29 a b c d e f Hallwas John August 2019 An Array of Forgotten Voices The Decker Press Illinois Heritage magazine 22 10 12 a b Wharton Will 1950 Correspondence Poetry 77 1 58 58 ISSN 0032 2032 Couple Found Slain in Car Woman Blamed Chicago Daily Tribune 11 May 1950 Archives Decker Press Bibliography Western Illinois University www wiu edu Retrieved 2021 02 04 Archives Decker Press Collection Western Illinois University www wiu edu Retrieved 2020 12 29 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Decker Press amp oldid 1023835507, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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