Charles Francis Stocking

Born in 1873, Charles Francis Stocking was an American author whose work appeared across several decades of the early 1900s. Records of his books show a varied output that included The Diary of Jean Evarts, Carmen Ariza, The Mayor of Filbert, Thou Israel, The Identity of Douglas Bain, Here, and Out of the Dust.

Brief biographical sketches describe him not only as a novelist, but also as a newspaper correspondent, teacher, university secretary, lecturer, publisher, and mining and metallurgical engineer. Those same accounts say his background included both small-town and metropolitan newspaper work, and even time in South America searching for gold mines—an experience that helps explain the adventurous range of subjects in his writing.

Stocking also wrote books with strong spiritual interests, and some later notices connect parts of his work with Christian Science themes. While many details of his life are lightly documented online, the surviving record suggests a writer with an energetic, wide-ranging career and a talent for turning big ideas into accessible stories.