William Hazlett Upson
(1891 - 1975)
William Hazlett Upson (1891-1975) was born at Glen Ridge, New Jersey on September 6, 1891. He graduated from the Glen Ridge High School in 1909. Before joining Cornell in 1910, he worked on a cattle ranch in California for a year. He was a graduate of Cornell’s agricultural course in 1914 (where he also took a course in short story writing), and worked as a “scientific farmer” on farms in New York State and Virginia until 1916.
He enlisted in the Army in 1916 in the D Battery of the 13th Field Artillery, 4th Division. He took part in the Marne-Aisne, St. Mihiel, and Argonne offensives and entered Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. When he came back from the war, he joined a tractor company. In 1924 he left his job with the Caterpillar Tractor Company in Peoria, Illinois, and began his career as a full time author. He created his famous character, Alexander Botts, in 1927.
Bibliography
Alexander Botts, Earthworm Tractors (1929)
When Alexander Botts offers his services to the Earthworm Tractor Company, they do not realize what they are in for - fortunately for them and for us.
Alexander Botts: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post (1973)
Adventures of a natural born tractor salesman.
Read online at archive.org.
Alexander Botts Rides Again: More Mayhem on the Earthworm Tractor (2005)
A collection of stories about the adventures of Alexander Botts, super salesman of Earthworm tractors.
The Best of Botts (1961)
Alexander Botts, world’s greatest salesman, sells Caterpillar tractors all over the United States, in France and New Guinea.
Botts in War, Botts in Peace: Earthworms Can Take Anything (1944)
This entry in the saga of Alexander Botts, natural born salesman, takes him from 1933 to fighting in World War II.
Earthworms in Europe: Alexander Botts Makes the Old World Tractor-Conscious (1931)
In search of new worlds to conquer, Alexander Botts, natural born salesman, sails for Europe with eight Earthworm tractors in the hold.
Earthworms through the Ages: The Wisdom of Alexander Botts (1947)
These entries in the Botts saga take him from 1932 to 1947.
The Fabulous Saga of Alexander Botts and the Earthworm Tractor (2001)
Further adventures of the tractor salesman extraordinaire.
Hello, Mr. Henderson (1949)
Alexander Botts’ boss, Mr. Henderson has enough troubles of his own keeping Earthworm tractor buyers happy.
How to Be Rich, Like Me (1947)
Successful author William Hazlett Upson explains his method of making money without really working.
Keep ’Em Crawling: Earthworms at War (1943)
Alexander Botts, Earthworm tractor salesman, gives the war effort his all.
Me and Henry and the Artillery (1928)
An account of two artillery men in the closing days of the World War I on the western front.
No Rest for Botts: Earthworms Make the World Go Round (1951)
Master tractor salesman Alexander Botts has been discharged from the army and is back in action.
Original Letters of Alexander Botts (1963)
More adventures of the world’s greatest salesman.
The Piano Movers (1927)
When the sergeant takes a shine to a piano, the batterymen are recruited to move it.