Frederick A. Stokes

It was the fate of Frederick Abbot Stokes to outlive all his contemporaries in that group of distinguished publishers which established New York as the book-making center of America. To name the leaders, there were the Harper brothers, the Appletons [Daniel S., George S., John A., Samuel F., and William H.], the Scribners [Arthur H., Charles, and J. Blair], George Haven Putnam, Frank Dodd, George P. Brett. It is more than a coincidence that all were Centurions. Perhaps the most extraordinary item of his career, in view of the many changes in the publishing world, is the fact that his house was one of the very few older ones that was still conducted by its founder. It had published more than 3,000 books in the fifty-eight years of its existence. There were no limits to the literary interests of Stokes. His department of children’s books was a prominent one. The list of volumes by famous authors was a long one; but he was eager for new writers of promise and proud to issue their works. Poetry held a particular interest for him. Aside from publishing, his concern for music was constant. Early in life he was a president of the Mendelssohn Glee Club and, later, president of the MacDowell Club. In every association of the publishing world he was a prominent and active figure. His famous fight against the monthly book clubs ended in failure; but he never weakened in his conviction that price-cutting was injurious to the industry. By his friends he will be remembered for his wit and wisdom—he was one of the few surviving after-dinner speakers who were a delight to hear—and not less for his kindness and his charm.

Geoffrey Parsons
1939 Century Memorials