The Mrs. Clayton Mystery

Ruth Mortan Scott

Scottsville, VA

July 10, 19_

Mrs. Clayton and Charlotte visit.

ERB wrote The Man-Eater, in May 1915 and it was first published from November 15-20, 1915, as a serial in the New York Evening World newspaper. The Man-Eater was not published in book form during ERB's lifetime. In 1955 Loyd Arthur Eshbach's Fantasy Press fanzine gets credit for the first book publication. 

Robert Kline

We are introduced to Mrs. Clayton and Charlotte in chapter one. On July 10, _, the two are visiting the Scott residence in Scottsville, Virginia, USA. There is nothing openly written in the storyline that implies, or suggests, that this mentioned Mrs. Clayton is Jane Porter Clayton, Tarzan's wife from Baltimore, Maryland. 

The Man-Eater

With that said, let us take a look at the circumstantial evidence that indeed indicates this could be Jane Porter Clayton. The best way to approach this investigation is by applying the 5-W method. Who, What, When, Where, and Why. (Please keep in mind this is my speculation only, not that of ERB, Inc.)

1. Who? Why would ERB randomly name a minor supporting character Mrs. Clayton, when that name is already used and well-known in a co-starring role in a major book series? He wouldn't. Just the use of the Clayton name hints that it is indeed Jane Porter Clayton, Tarzan's wife.
2. When? The events of The Man-Eater, according to Ruth Morton Scott's letter, occur on July 10. 19_, just after The Son Of Tarzan and before Beyond Thirty.
3. What? If this is indeed Jane Porter Clayton how is she connected to the Scott family? Jane's original connection could be through her father Archimedes Q. Porter. We learn at the end of The Return Of Tarzan that the old professor was also an ordained Methodist minister. We learn in The Man-Eater that Reverand Sangaman Morton was an American Methodist missionary to the Belgian Congo. Maybe these two were connected in younger days which promoted family bonding. A second option was that Tarzan and Jane met the Scotts through Reverand Sangaman while he was missioning in the Belgian Congo. Tarzan and Jane had been searching for their missing son John Clayton III, aka Jack Clayton or Korak, for years. Perhaps the British couple's search throughout the Belgian Congo led to their family tie.
4. Where and when? From Ruth Morton Scott's letter, it is revealed this visit occurs on July 10, _. in Scottsville, Virginia. Notice the blank year data provided by the author. We do know this visit did not occur on July 10, 1915, because ERB begin writing the story in May 1915. That would mean the manuscript was written before the events occurred. That leaves the dates of 1913 or 1914. I can't see the year being 1913 either. Early spring 1913 is the year Dakie/Jackie was introduced in The Eternal Lover. There was no Charlotte or a mention of her. July 10, 1914, would still allow Jane time to get Charlotte back to Mom and Dad in England or France, then make her way back to British East Africa by the fall of 1914 and the beginning of Tarzan The Untamed.
5. Why? What was Jane's purpose in being there at that point in time when her main residence was in London, England for six months, and six months during the dry season at their African plantation near Lake Victoria in British East Africa. We know this visit was not about the funeral of Jefferson Scott Sr., because the disbursement of his property was the theme of the lady's discussion. It is not recorded by ERB, but Jane could be visiting her father in Baltimore. Or worse, attending Professor Porter's funeral. While visiting the city of her birth Jane and Charlotte rode her car to Scottsville to visit Virginia and Ruth Morton Scott. (I have also long believed the Carter plantation is located in the Scottsville area.) 

So, who is Charlotte? The name, Charlotte, is a favorite of British descendants. The fact that the Scottsville visit occurs on July 10, 1914, just after the events of The Son Of Tarzan, strongly hints Charlotte is Korak and Mierm's daughter, and secondborn. First granddaughter of Tarzan and Jane. Most probable, is that Jane takes granddaughter Charlotte to introduce her for the first time to great-grandpaw Porter in Baltimore, MD. USA. Professor Porter who has been living in America off stage since the end of The Return Of Tarzan has fallen to bad health, or worse even death. Jane could be visiting to take care of her terminally ill father, or there for his funeral and inheritance affairs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James Michael Moody is a lifelong fan and collector of Edger Rice Burroughs. Moody has contributed over two hundred articles to various ERB-related fanzines over forty-five years. He also manages an unauthorized Tarzan blog titled, Greystoke Chronologist: James Michael Moody. There the researcher chronologies the Tarzan books starting in May 1872 (known as the pushback theory) instead of the more accepted date, May 1888.

James Michael Moody is also the author of the action-packed Sci-Fi fantasy adventure Unium series. Pioneers On Unium, published December 31, 2019, Exiled On Unium, published August 25, 2022, and Swordsman On Unium published on July 15, 2024.

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