Charles Hoy Fort American writer and anomalous phenomena researcher Date of Birth: 06.08.1874 Country: USA

Biography of Charles Hoy Fort

Charles Hoy Fort was an American writer and researcher of anomalous phenomena. He was born in 1874 in Albany, New York, to Dutch immigrant parents. As a child, Fort showed no outstanding abilities, but he had a passion for collecting various specimens of mollusks and minerals. He also developed a strong love for reading.

At the age of 18, Fort's parents allowed him to embark on a journey around the world. He traveled to England, Scotland, and Southern Africa, where he fell ill and was looked after by a maid named Anna Filing. They eventually got married in 1896, but they never had children. During their marriage, Fort continued his hobbies, particularly collecting butterflies, and he dedicated a lot of time to writing essays and stories.

The couple lived in London, where Fort worked as a journalist. Although his writing brought in some income, their financial situation was unstable. Anna developed a fascination with cinema and would go to the movies every evening, allowing Charles to focus on his writing. Despite being married, Fort remained a reclusive individual, fully immersed in his own inner world.

In 1916, Fort inherited some money from his uncle, and after his father's death in 1917, he received a share of the inheritance. This allowed him to live comfortably and focus on writing full-time. During this time, he became interested in compiling a unique card catalog. He meticulously read scientific publications, searching for curious and unexplained facts that intrigued him. This catalog became Fort's lifelong dedication, spanning three decades of his life.

Fort claimed to have written ten novels, but only one, "The Outcast Manufacturers," was officially published in 1906. In 1915, he began working on two books with unconventional titles, "X" and "Y." "X" explored the idea that everything happening on Earth was controlled from Mars, while "Y" speculated about the existence of a sinister civilization in Antarctica. These manuscripts caught the attention of his friend, Theodore Dreiser, who attempted to get them published, but with no success. During a bout of depression, Fort burned both manuscripts.

Eventually, Fort recovered and started working on a new book, which later became known as the "Book of the Damned." Published in 1919, this book contained the "damned" facts that Fort had cataloged over the years. Despite its initial obscurity, it gained recognition through the efforts of Dreiser. The Russian translation, titled "1001 Forgotten Wonders," was published in 1997. While working on his book, Fort and his wife lived in London, where he worked at the British Museum library. They later returned to the United States.

In his later years, Fort's eyesight severely deteriorated, but he distrusted doctors and focused on finishing his book, "Wild Talents." On May 3, 1932, Fort was admitted to the Royal Hospital in The Bronx. Later that day, a publisher visited him to show him a proof copy of his final book. Charles Hoy Fort passed away a few hours later, possibly from leukemia. He was buried in Albany, New York.

Fort's card catalog, consisting of over 60,000 notes, was gifted to the New York Public Library. These notes contained all the anomalies he had discovered, forming the basis for the establishment of the Fortean Society. Charles Fort's main achievement was his ability to collect and compile seemingly useless and neglected facts, creating a cohesive body of work that deserves attention.