VAN DER VEER, JOHN STEWART
Papers, 1909-1966

Biography:

John "Stewart" Van der Veer was born in Frankfort, Kentucky on June 27, 1893. He was raised in Kentucky and attended the University of Kentucky until his family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Once in New Orleans, Van der Veer worked at an oil company while pursuing his dream of becoming an opera singer, which he never realized.
In 1916, Van der Veer joined the Washington Artillery of New Orleans in order to participate in the Pershing Expedition into Mexico. When the United States entered World War I, Van der Veer was anxious to participate. He joined the American Red Cross and went to the Italian Front as an ambulance driver. While serving in Italy, he received the Italian War Cross and a promotion to Lieutenant.
He wrote about his experiences in correspondence with his family during the war and later in his autobiography Walk in My Moccasins. In his letters, Van der Veer mentioned taking a member of his squad to a hospital in Milan. In Walk in My Moccasins, he related an encounter with this man and identified him as Ernest Hemingway.
Upon his return from the war, he began working at a newspaper in New Orleans, The Time-Picayune. He wrote and edited for several newspapers in various parts of the country before establishing his own advertising agency in Birmingham, Alabama in the fall of 1924.
After residing in Birmingham several years, Van der Veer began to cultivate a desire to write fiction. He began by writing short stories and having them published in pulp magazines. Then in 1939 he published his first novel, Death For the Lady. He went on to have two more novels published, Remembered April and Interlude at Pelican Bend. Van der Veer was forced to give up fiction "for economic reasons" and returned to advertising and newspapers.
His latter years were spent tending to his ranch, The Lazy V, outside of Birmingham. He also undertook one last writing endeavor, a narrative based on his life entitled Walk in My Moccasins, but he was unable to get it published. John Stewart Van der Veer died on December 27, 1966.

This collection contains documents connected to the life of James Stewart Van der Veer, including some of his correspondence and writings, newspaper articles written about him, and photographs.
The bulk of the correspondence consists of two sets, one of which is made up of letters Van der Veer wrote while serving as an ambulance driver in Italy during World War I. The other correspondence file pertains to Van der Veer's efforts to have his autobiography, Walk in My Moccasins, published. The collection contains that manuscript, a copy of one of his published books, Interlude at Pelican's Bend, and one of his short stories.
The newspaper articles focus on his writing career and The Lazy V Ranch. Photographs range from ones taken during World War I to pictures of Van der Veer in retirement. The scrapbook contains newspaper clippings, primarily relating to the publication of the mystery novel Death for the Lady.

Subjects Areas:

            Authors -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
            Birmingham (Ala.) -- Authors.
            Hemingways, Ernest, 1899-1961.
            Journalists -- Alabama -- Birmingham.
            Van der Veer, John Stewart, 1893-1966.
            World War, 1914-1918.

Collection Number: 357

Size: 1 linear foot (3 boxes)

Source: Van der Veer Family

Restrictions: Standard preservation and copyright restrictions. Do not photocopy book or scrapbook.

Guide Prepared by: Mike Ross (February 2001)

Birmingham Public Library
2100 Park Place
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
(205) 226-3610

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