The Man Who Didn't Die

This article is brought to you by Janalyn Voigt.

He arrived in Seattle in 1875, an untried youth of eighteen with one thin dime in his pocket. From this humble beginning, Robert Moran grew a shipbuilding empire that made him a millionaire. He rose to prominence as Seattle’s major and won a second term due to his leadership during the Great Seattle Fire in 1889. He overhauled Seattle’s water system to allow a better response to fire during his second term, then went on to serve as a congressman.

Robert Moran arrived in Seattle with a dime in his pocket.

I came across Robert Moran’s story while researching Deceptive Tide, a romantic suspense novel set to release in May. He impressed me as a remarkable man with a brilliant mind. If anyone could and should leave a legacy, it was Robert Moran.

But first he had to cheat death.

After a long career that saw him building a fleet of steamboats built for use on the Yukon River during the Klondike goldrush and the USS Nebraska, Washington State’s only battleship, Robert received a devastating diagnosis from his doctor. He had heart disease and would die within a year.

In his place, what would you do? I wish I could say for certain that such a pessimistic prognosis wouldn’t in itself put me under and that II would live my last days on Earth well.

Robert Moran took his doctor’s advice to retire. He sold his shipyard and moved to Orcas Island, where he purchased 7,800 acres that included 2,398-foot-tall Mt. Constitution, the highest peak in the San Juan Islands and Cascade Lake, a serene setting not far from the last, most poignant monument to his talents.

In 1906, Robert Moran began construction of a 54-room, five-level home that became known as `Moran’s Shangrila' and `Showplace of the San Juans.' Moran simply called it Rosario, after the strait that separates the San Juan Islands from the mainland. Designed to resemble a ship with its sleek profile and chimney stacks rising from the roof, Rosario pays tribute to Robert Moran’s nautical background. The mansion features stained glass transoms, rich paneling, and other rich details adhering to the Arts and Crafts movement, in vogue at the time.

Moran Mansion in 2007, Courtesy of Joe Mabel.

It is not the architectural detailing or even the exemplary craftsmanship that sets Rosario apart, however. The views from every window make visiting this showplace an experience to remember. Moran treasured nature’s beauty and refused to hang pictures to compete with it. A wise move, in my opinion. I visited Rosario several times on research trips, and each time came away awed. Once, while at breakfast in the Moran Mansion restaurant, which occupies the veranda (now enclosed), I stared in utter delight as an eagle glided within feet of the window beside me.

From this picture, which I took on a research trip in the San Juan Islands, makes it easy to see how  such serenity could relieve the stress in Robert Moran's life. © Janalyn Voigt

Any visitor who does not visit the museum upstairs misses the beauty of the mansion. The heart of the mansion is the music room, where Robert Moran entertained guests to his home. Each Saturday night in summer, Christopher Peacock, the caretaker, plays a concert on the 1913 Aeolian organ, which features 1,972 pipes. He also shows silent film episodes and recounts colorful stories of the mansion’s previous residents.

While Moran was building Rosario, the calendar year turned once, then twice, and finally decades went by. He regained his health and vigor, bolstered by the pristine island atmosphere, reduced stress, and the creative labor he enjoyed. Robert Moran lived another forty years, until 1943 and a ripe old age of 86. He had suffered not from heart disease but from job stress. The lifestyle change he made in preparing to die saved his life, but his story doesn’t end there.

Robert Moran’s friend, naturalist John Muir, had a profound impact on him, as did the policies of President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1911, Moran donated thousands of acres (including Mt. Constitution and Cascade Lake) to the state of Washington. This land became Moran State Park and is beloved by visitors today.

My research into the life of Robert Moran revealed a man who lived well but also knew when to let go. This empowered him to leave a legacy for future generations. Today, the Moran Mansion is part of a resort where visitors focus, as Robert Moran did, on health and healing.

I like to think that would make him smile.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Known for her vivid writing, this multi-faceted author writes in the western historical romance, medieval epic fantasy, and romantic suspense genres. 

Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include ACFW and NCWA. When she's not writing, she loves to garden and explore the great outdoors with her family.
Explore Janalyn Voigt's interactive website.

Jack London--Author and Adventurer

With Nancy J. Farrier

Jack London 1903

Jack London, born Jack Griffith Chaney, in 1876, wrote many books, stories of high adventure. He penned numerous short stories, non-fiction works and poetry. London lived an adventurous life and many of his writings were based on his own exploits. Jack’s father deserted his family and was never a part of his life, but his mother remarried and Jack took his step-father’s name and became Jack London.

Growing up in San Francisco, Jack had to work hard and

Jack, age 9

didn’t have the opportunity for formal schooling. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed reading and learning about the world and life. As a teen, London worked a variety of jobs. One of those jobs, an oyster pirate, appeared in some of his stories. As oyster pirates, the men would go in at night to private oyster beds, raid the beds and sell the pirated oysters the following morning at market.

London Cottage

In 1893, seventeen-year-old Jack, went on a sealing voyage. They were caught in the midst of a typhoon, adding to the excitement. When Jack returned home, he entertained his mother with tales of his time on board ship. His mother encouraged him to write the story and enter a writing contest. Jack won the prize for his story, although his writing career wouldn’t take off for several years.

Jack and Charmian

In 1897, when Jack was twenty-one, he sailed with his brother-in-law to join the Klondike Gold Rush. Due to the harsh conditions and constant struggle to survive, Jack’s health declined. He suffered from malnutrition and contracted scurvy, a common ailment among the men. Still, his time there fueled stories and he penned, what critics refer to as one of his best short stories, To Build a Fire, based on the hardships he endured.

In 1900, Jack married his longtime friend, Bess Maddern.

Bess London with daughters

They had two children, Joan and Bessie (Becky). Their marriage didn’t last long. They married because they were compatible, but Bess had difficulty with Jack’s lack of purity in their marriage. Even as they divorced, Jack still treated Bess with kindness. Their divorce was final in 1904 and in 1905, Jack married Charmian Kittridge, whom he considered his soul mate. They remained married until his death.

Jack with daughters Joan and Bessie

The Call of the Wild Jack’s biggest selling book, sold in 1903 to both The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan publishers. Between 1900 and 1916, Jack wrote over 50 novels

Jack's ship, Snark

, many short stories and some non-fiction books. He also worked as a correspondent for the Hearst newspapers. In 1907, he built a yacht, Snark, and he and Charmian sailed to Hawaii and Australia before ill health made them head home. Jack wrote a nonfiction book, The Cruise of the Snark, based on this voyage. Later Charmian wrote, The Log of the Snark and  Our Hawaii based on their voyage.

Wolf House Ruins

Although he loved the life of adventure, Jack also enjoyed a more peaceful lifestyle. He bought land in Sonoma Valley and built a home there. He wanted to farm and have a quiet place to write. He had a small cottage in the middle of his land where he resided while he planned and built Wolf House, his dream home. Right before he and Charmian moved into their new home, the house caught fire and burned to the ground. Jack was devastated at the loss, but continued to live in their cottage. (In 1955, a group of fire experts visited the site and determined the cause of the fire to be some linseed oil soaked rags left by workers.)

A hard worker, Jack London made it his policy to write 1,000 words a day. With

Jack London 1916

his health declining, his doctors encouraged him to slow down, to curtail his alcohol consumption, and to improve his diet. Jack refused to do any of those things and died gastrointestinal uremic poisoning in November of 1916 at the age of forty.

Even at the end, Jack had many bold plans. He never admitted defeat, and he left a legacy to his ideals in his many writings. Have you ever visited the Jack London Historic Park? Have you read any of his books?  Which of his writings did you enjoy most?

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and two grandsons. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needle craft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.