Mr. & Mrs. Withers

Grey's description of the trader Withers and his wife helps us positively identify the couple who was so important in The Vanishing American: 

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The Vanishing American:

“Well, this is the country for rainbows,” laughed Withers. “In summer from June to August when it storms we have rainbows that'll make you think you're in another world. The Navajos have rainbow mountains, rainbow canyons, rainbow bridges of stone, rainbow trails. It sure is rainbow country.”

He had lived at Kayenta for several years—hard and profitless years by reason of marauding outlaws. He could not have lived there at all but for the protection of the Indians. His father-in-law had been friendly with the Navajos and Piutes for many years, and his wife had been brought up among them. She was held in peculiar reverence and affection by both tribes in that part of the country. Probably she knew more of the Indians' habits, religion, and life than any white person in the West."

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This passage IS NOT from The Vanishing American.  Rather it is from The Rainbow Trail (1915), but about the same "Withers" nonetheless... and it is set in Kayenta, the location of John and Louisa Wetherills' home and trading post.  In fact, Zane Grey himself told the Wetherills they were the inspiration for the couple in the novel. Now consider the following passage which is from The Vanishing American, but which is also clearly about the Wetherills.

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The Vanishing American:

"Withers was a good man, a trader who helped the Indians and did not make his post a means to cheat them.  Mrs. Withers was more to the  Indians than any other white person had ever been"

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Here is a photo of John Wetherill followed by a few words spoken by Mr. Withers while guiding Marian through the wilds to her lover, Nophaie.  The route they took is the same as the one on which Wetherill guided Zane Grey in 1922:

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Mr. Withers (John Wetherill)

The Vanishing American:

"When Withers led off the well-defined trail that kept to the lowlands, to take a dim rough trail which turned straight for the wall, she felt a deep thrill. This must be the Indian trail never traveled by white people.

'Here's our Pahute trail,' said Withers, as he dismounted. 'It heads in from cross country.... I'm sorry to say you'll have to walk. Climb slow— rest often—and in bad places keep on the up side of your horse.'" (Chapter V)

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Moving on the inspiration for Mrs. Withers, here is a photograph of Louisa Wetherill followed by a quote from The Vanishing American and finally, an illustration from the novel. See if you don't agree with our finding that Louisa was the inspiration for Mrs. Withers!

Mrs. Withers (Louisa Wetherill)

The Vanishing American:

"Nophaie is an Indian," Mrs. Withers went on. "But he's a man. I never saw a finer man—white or red.... I think you're a fortunate girl. To love and be loved—to live in this desert—to see its wildness and grandeur—to learn of it from an Indian—to devote your energies to a noble cause! I hope you see the truth!" (Chapter IV)

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It does take a far fetch to imagine the real Mrs. John Wetherill saying these words to a troubled young woman just as Mrs. Withers counselled Marion Warner.

Mr. and Mrs. Withers were inspired by John and Louisa Wetherill who hosted Zane Grey at their home and trading post several times including 1922. The first published version of The Vanishing American appeared in The Ladies Home Journal beginning in November of 1922 as the first of a six month-long serial. The couple, their home and their trading post were described in detail as the serial unfolded.

John had guided explorers, archeologists, film makers, government employees and celebrities like Grey into the wild country depicted in the novel for years.  Louisa was revered by American Indians for her honesty and ability to communicate in their own language.  She was actually adopted into the Navajo tribe.  Perhaps more significantly, they had been personally involved in many of the events that inspired Grey's novel.  Anyone interested in learning more should read A Biography of John and Louisa Wetherill by Francis Gillmor (1931, published as Traders to the Navajos in 1934).