Frederick Manfred   [1912-1994]

Arts and Letters

Frederick Manfred was a regional author covering the northern Plains states including southern Minnesota, most of South Dakota and the area of his boyhood home in Doon, Iowa. During his forty year career as an author, he wrote about 40 books, mostly novels. He published his first novel in 1944, when he was 32 years old. So we must assume that he did not start out as a writer, but apparently became interested in writing later in his career. Note also that 1944 was during the Second World War, and Manfred may have been in the military during much of that war.

Until the early 1950’s Manfred wrote under his birth name, Frederick Feikes Feikema, VII, a rather long and interesting name. His name was Frisian, and he apparently felt that his name was interfering with him becoming accepted and recognized as a serious writer. So in the early 1950’s, he changed his name to the much simpler, Frederick Manfred. For the remainder of his writing career he used the Manfred name, and apparently legally changed his name to Frederick Manfred.

Prior to his name change, writing under the Feikema name, he published seven books. Noteworthy during that period are: “The Golden Bowl: A Novel”, published in 1944, and reissued twice in 1969 and 1992, “This Is the Year”, published in 1945, and reissued in 1979, “The Chokecherry Tree”, published in 1949, and reissued in 1961, and “The Primitive”, also published in 1949.

Following his name change, Manfred published about 33 books. Noteworthy during the latter period are: “Lord Grizzly”, published in 1954, and reissued twice in 1964 and 1994, “Riders of Judgment”, published in 1957, and reissued twice in 1973 and 1980, “Conquering Horse”, published in 1959, and reissued in 1994, “Scarlet Plume”, published in 1964, and reissued in 1995, and “King of Spades”, published in 1966, and reissued twice in 1980 and 1995.

Manfred had hoped to see at least one or more of his novels on the movie screen. But it was not to happen during his life time. However, in 2002, his novel “Riders of Judgment” was adapted by Dianna Ossana and Larry McMurtry for a television movie. The movie’s title was different from the book title. The movie became Hallmark Television’s “Johnson County War”, and starred Burt Reynolds, Tom Berenger and Luke Perry. The movie tells the tale of three brothers caught in the middle of a war between homestead ranchers and cattle barons in 1891 Wyoming, clearly a true Western movie.

Frederick Feikes Feikema VII was born in Doon, Iowa on January 6, 1912. We know little of his childhood. He attended Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and probably graduated from there, although there is no verification of that. He apparently did get married and had at least two children, Fred Manfred, Jr. and Freya Manfred Pope. He passed away as Frederick Manfred in September 1994.

 

REFERENCES                           

The Frederick Manfred Information Page

Frederick Manfred, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Manfred

Frederick Manfred’s book makes it big on the small screen,http://www.calvin.edu/publications/spark/summer02/manfred.htm

 

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