The newest documentary from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, which debuted Monday night on Nine PBS, promises to reveal 鈥渢he man, the myth, the writer鈥 in the story of its titanic title subject, 鈥.鈥
And that story would be incomplete without the many St. Louisans who inspired and subsidized Ernest Hemingway in his formative years. In fact, a monograph published last year by local historian Andrew J. Theising, 鈥,鈥 makes a compelling case that many of Hemingway鈥檚 great adventures have roots in this city. That includes not just the three St. Louis women he married, but the St. Louis fortunes that underwrote the adventures they shared.
鈥淗e really did find some wealthy families in St. Louis,鈥 Theising said on Tuesday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air. 鈥淚 was surprised at the trust funds and the many sources of wealth. I don't know that we always appreciate just how much wealth was in this city.鈥

That includes the trust fund enjoyed by his first wife, Hadley Richardson, whose family fortune derived from the Richardson Drug Co. The funds allowed the couple to live comfortably in Paris. It was there that he met Richardson鈥檚 friend from home, Pauline Pfeiffer, who soon broke up their marriage. Pfeiffer鈥檚 trust fund had its roots in the Pfeiffer Chemical Co.; her wealthy Uncle Gus separately paid for Hemingway鈥檚 home in Key West, a deep sea fishing trip for himself and Hemingway and a high-end African safari.
鈥淚t pays to have a rich uncle, doesn鈥檛 it?鈥 Theising quipped.
Hemingway later left Pfeiffer for a third St. Louis native, journalist Martha Gellhorn. She too came from a prominent local family (her parents helped found the Ethical Society here, as well as the John Burroughs School). But while Edna Gellhorn and Hemingway got along swimmingly, Edna opposed Hemingway鈥檚 marriage to her daughter.
鈥淚 loved the way one of the biographers of Martha Gellhorn put it, that Martha鈥檚 mother could 鈥榮ee the trouble in Ernest鈥檚 soul.鈥 She could see that he had this dark side. She said, 鈥業 feel sorry for him.鈥 Martha just erupted when she heard that. 鈥榃hy would you feel sorry for this great man?鈥 鈥 But here in the end, Edna Gellhorn, she saw Ernest鈥檚 truth."
Hemingway would later tell his St. Louis-born biographer A.E. Hotchner: 鈥淔irst three wives from St. Louis. Only good person I know who didn鈥檛 leave there was Martha Gellhorn鈥檚 ma.鈥
Theising, a professor of political science at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, said that Hemingway didn鈥檛 look down on St. Louis, but also didn鈥檛 allow himself to acknowledge the roles his ex-wives鈥 family fortunes (and therefore the city鈥檚 fortunes) had played in launching his career.
鈥淚 think he had a lot of truths inside of him that he did not want to see, which is what made him so troubled,鈥 Theising said.
Related Event
What: 鈥溾
When: Premiered Monday. Additional viewings and streaming follow.
Where: Nine PBS and
鈥鈥 brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , and . The audio engineer is .