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Harold M. Sherman Chronology

1898 July 13 Harold Sherman was born July 13, 1898 in Traverse City, Michigan. His parents were Thomas. H. Sherman, a men’s clothing salesman, and Alcinda Morrow Sherman, a housewife. He had two younger brothers, Edward and Thomas Arthur.
1898 December 5 Martha Bain born
1914 October 13 Edward Sherman (Harold's brother) died following an accident
1916   As a youth Sherman participated enthusiastically in sports, but too light for the football team he satisfied his passion for the game by writing up reports for the local paper. His writing talent was recognized when he won a state prize in a DAR essay contest, The Settlement and Development of Traverse City, published by the Michigan Historical Society. After graduating in 1916 from Traverse City High School, he attended the University of Michigan until joining the Student Army Training Corps during World War I. Rejected for active military service because of complications resulting from an appendectomy at Battle Creek Sanitarium, he enrolled in aviation classes and studied journalism.
1918   After the Armistice Sherman moved to Detroit where he was employed by the Henry Ford Motor Company during the day while studying advertising copywriting at night, classes that included Applied Psychology by Harriet Louella McCollum. In Detroit he became reacquainted with a Traverse City classmate, Martha Bain, who was studying nursing at Detroit’s Grace Hospital.
1920 September 26 Harold and Martha married
1921 March l Thomas H. Sherman (Harold's father) died of brain tumor
1921   Shortly thereafter Sherman was laid off and the couple moved to Marion, Indiana, where where Sherman began his writing career as a newspaper reporter for the Marion Chronicle.
1921 October 3 Daughter Mary Alcinda born in Marion.
1924   In 1924 the family moved to New York City where Sherman became well known as a writer of boys’ sports and adventure books (Red Grange—One Minute to Play sold over a million copies), with over 60 published  books. Wrote for 17 years under three different names. [letter to Clement Stone 12/7/62] Their daughter Marcia was born in there in 1929. During this period Sherman also wrote plays, two of which, Her Supporting Cast and The Little Black Book, were produced on Broadway. See Broadway Database for details.
1929 August 26 Daughter Marcia Anne born
1930-1933  

Sherman began writing mature fiction, mainly stories to do with social and political issues such as prohibition.

1933 December

went to Hollywood to write the screenplay for Are We Civilized? Philosophical discussions with Hollywood directors inspired Sherman to return to New York and write his first best-selling self-help book, Your Key to Happiness.

1935   Your Key to Happiness [Putnam’s] published, followed by a radio program,  “All About You.” [click here to read YKTH online]
1936   Sherman secures rights from the Mark Twain Estate to dramatize the life of Mark Twain.
1937   Before leaving on a search for a missing plane near the North Pole, arctic explorer and friend Sir Hubert Wilkins agreed to help Sherman with an experiment in mind-to-mind communication. Each day at a pre-arranged time, Wilkins attempted to send thoughts of what had transpired that day to Sherman 3400 miles away in New York City. Sherman recorded his impressions and immediately mailed the transcripts to Gardner Murphy, head of the parapsychology department at Columbia university, who registered and filed them. When later compared to a diary Wilkins had kept, Sherman’s impressions proved to be 70% accurate. The full story is told in the book Sherman and Wilkins co-authored, Thoughts Through Space [Creative Age Press,1942].
1938 December Martha's mother (Mary Ellen Bain) died
1941   Although the Mark Twain play Sherman wrote was never produced, it led to Sherman's being employed by Warner Bros. to co-write the screenplay for The Adventures of Mark Twain, produced by Jesse L. Lasky and starring Frederic March. The Shermans spent a year from mid-1941-42 in Hollywood for this assignment. Shermans moved to Hollywood so Harold can write script for "Mark Twain"
1941-42   During this Hollywood period the Shermans became reacquainted with a man named Harry J. Loose, a former detective with Hull House in Chicago, whom Sherman had first met in 1921 in Marion, when Loose was lecturing on the Chautauqua circuit and Sherman interviewed him for the Chronicle. Now retired and living in Monterey Park, Loose told the Shermans about a revelation he had been associated with since 1911, that that was coming through in Chicago—later to become the Urantia Book [1955]—and suggested the Shermans join the Forum that was studying the material. [HTKWTB, Pipeline to God].
1942 March Thoughts Through Space published
1942 May On their 1942 cross-country drive from Hollywood to Chicago the Shermans stopped off in Mountain View and bought, on the spur of the moment, a small cabin on over a hundred wooded acres for $800. (It was Loose who advised the family to move to Arkansas.)
1942   The Sherman family moved to Chicago mainly for the purpose of studying the Urantia material, in which he also interested Sir Hubert Wilkins.
1943 May 9 Mary Sherman married Bernard Joseph Kobiella
1942-47   During these Chicago years Sherman continued writing books and plays, including “Jane Addams of Hull House,” “The Girl From Nantucket,” (Broadway), “Alaskan Stampede,” (Chicago Coliseum) “Second Guesser” (Civic Opera House, Chicago) . [The Sherman Diaries, Vols. 1-5]. During this time Sherman wrote Your Key to Married Happiness [Putnam’s 1944], Your Key to Youth Problems [Putnam’s 1945], and his classic science fiction story, “The Green Man” [Amazing Stories, 1946]. In addition, Sherman was on the air several times a week in Chicago with a self-help program, “Your Key to Happiness” [WGN Radio, 1943].

During their five years in Chicago, the Arkansas cottage was occupied by Sherman’s brother Thomas Arthur Sherman and his family, who had moved from New York and were to remain in Arkansas for the rest of their lives.

1947 February 18-24 “Mark Twain” performed on stage at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.
1947 May Shermans move to Mountain View from Chicago. When the Shermans first arrived in Stone County in 1947 there were no paved highways, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing, but they loved the peace and beauty and Sherman continued writing books by Coleman lanterns, producing Call of the Land [M.A. Donohue & Co. Chicago, 1948]; Anyone Can Stop Drinking [Creative Age Press, 1950]; You Live After Death [G & R Anthony, 1949].
1949 February 13 Marcia Sherman married Wendell Ray Smith, a geology student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
    The publication of Sherman's books led to his becoming a popular lecturer on the dinner club circuit in Arkansas and neighboring States. Through his Lion’s Club affiliation Sherman organized local carnivals and beauty contests and was in demand as emcee and judge, which in turn led to his becoming acquainted with politicians such as Sid McMath and influential businessmen.

After several unsuccessful attempts by local politicians to convince the State Highway Commission to build a paved highway from Mountain View to Batesville, Sherman organized a caravan of citizens, five and a half miles long, to travel from Stone and Independence Counties Little Rock to meet with the Commission. This meeting resulted in the construction of Highway 14.
1950 May Martha Sherman contracts and survives Rocky Mountain spotted fever
1950 May 25 Sherman was instrumental in bringing electricity to Stone County. Hamilton Moses, then president of Arkansas Power and Light Company, told Sherman it would cost too much money to run power lines to Stone County because the residences were too few and far between, that clearing the right-of-way alone would cost too much to be economically feasible. Sherman called a meeting of the local people who took a vote, all committing themselves to clearing the right-of-way themselves. This petition led to Moses granting the citizens electricity.  [River Country, Aug 24-30, 1985]
1950 September Aunt Flora Baldwin died
1950 September Mrs. Alcinda Sherman (Harold's mother) moved to Mountain View
1951 February Sherman temporarily moved to California to produce two plays, The Great Man and Hocus Pocus. While there he was approached by the New Thought leader, Fred Bailes, to give self-development classes on Thoughts Through Space, You Live After Death, Your Key to Happiness, etc. Worked on TV pilot, "Picture What You Want," which incorporated his YKTH philosophy.
1951 October 1-5 Appearance at Carthay Circle Theatre (October 1-5, “Mysteries of Your Mind”), accompanied by Sir Hubert Wilkins, drew huge crowds and led to New Thought sponsored classes in San Diego, Long Beach. Return to Arkansas after spending Thanksgiving with Mary and Ben in Hollywood.
1952 January 27-February 5

March 26



July 18

July--August


September 27-Oct 11

October 30

East Coast Lecture Tour:  New York, St. Louis, Chicago. Accompanied by Martha

Second West Coast Lecture Tour: March 26 HMS drives alone to West Coast, lectures Glendale, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Denver. In Hollywood collaborates with Dailey Paskman on Mark Twain musical, “Twainiana” [financed with $7,000 from wealthy Arkansas businessmen.

Returned to AR via Chicago, speaker at International New Thought Alliance Banquet July 18.

Drafted by Governor Sid McMath to help him manage his campaign for re-election, so I went to Little Rock and worked day and night.

Midwest Lecture Tour: Cincinnati

Marion, Indiana, lecture

1952 November 11 Returned to Ark Haven to write Know Your Own Mind [C & R Anthony, NY, 1953].
1953 FebruaryMarch In New York to sign Prentice Hall contract to write TNT—The Power Within You.
1953 April--August







August
 

December

Third West Coast Lecture Tour: [April] John Hefferlin Long Beach; [May] Glendale; [June] Addington San Diego; [July] Dan Custer, San Francisco; [August] August 12 Denver, Aladdin Theatre. Begins giving successful talk “Impressions of Things to Come”

In Hollywood meets Frank Scully and Cy Newton, involved in the flying saucer craze.

Returns to Ark Haven. Comes up with idea for “Your Key to Romance” lectures as motion pictures.

Writes two books, TNT—The Power Within You [Prentice Hall] and Change Your Thinking—Or Die! [unpublished].

Gives class in Little Rock, Bob Grinde Institute

1954 January

February


























March

March 29



May





July 15

August 20

August 29, Sept 5

September





November 9

TV show in Little Rock, "Picture What You Want," launched.

First correspondence Hornell Hart [letter Feb 1, 1954]; Sylvan Muldoon [Feb 12, 1954]

Begins working on Land of the Crossbow in the Blanchard Springs area,

". . . the beautiful Blanchard Springs district which is to be converted into a Land of the Crossbow region, with a castle, drawbridges, moats, turrets, etc. and medieval tavern, lodge, crossbow ranges, etc. This means new industries in Stone County, motels, restaurants, paved highways, etc. The Lions Club is sponsoring the project and I have been speaking over the state on it and raising half a million to put it over. [letter Fred Lieb, April 7, 1954]

"In addition, the citizens of our poor Stone County (poor economically) have gone through two years of devastating drought and have needed new commercial development to save them. I devised the Land of the Cross Bow idea and have been spending months of my time on it as this article indicates, on my own time and expense. I cannot and would not take any money from the local people for this community service. It would destroy my usefulness to begin with, if I placed a financial value on my services, which I would not do. [letter Frank Scully, May 1, 1954]

". . . I have been up to my ears in the development and promotion of the Land of the Cross Bow, having spent practically full time on it all of this year, at my own expense as a community contribution, and now I am happy to say it is on its way to becoming the outstanding tourist attraction in Arkansas! New modern cabins are soon to be built, followed by a lodge and a tavern, created out of the Old Mill. And by next season, with dust-proofed highways (now nearing completion) it will be worth coming miles to see—and enjoy. . . .[letter Irwin Lowell Aug 19, 1954]

Working with neighbor and long-time family friend Jim Morris (Jimmie Driftwood) on Arkansas musical “Yankee in Wonderland” [letter Paskman Dailey, Feb 22, 1954.

First correspondence with Henry Belk (of Belk Stores)

In Huntsville made a talk for gubernatorial candidate Orval Faubus, "who had helped us on Highway 66 paving when connected with McMath, as director of highway commission." [letter Ben Kobiella May 30, 1954]

"I added $500 to my Bank of America account recently, first payment of Orval Faubus, one of the candidates for Governor, a friend of mine whom I favor for the governorship but cannot endorse publicly because of my civic work for Stone County representing all factions. Faubus has hired me to be a behind-the-scenes campaign manager and one of the hot issues is desegregation, requiring employment of real psychology." [letter Paley June 16, 1954]

Friend Webster Stafford death notice

August 20 Harold and Martha drive to California for new lecture series for Fred Bailes.

Fox-Wilshire Theatre talk

6-10: Class, “TNT—The Power Within You.”

[letter Arthur, September 25, 1954] Have been up to San Francisco twice this hectic period and have produced a film inspirational—an hour’s screen lecture—on the theme of my new book, TNT—The Power Within You, which is near the top on national bestseller lists.

TNT film premieres in Denver.

1955 February




April


October 12
TNT showing San Diego. [letter Helen Stafford, Feb 6, 1955]

Finished dictating Everything Happens For the Best, for Prentice Hall. P-H rejects MSS and HMS must rewrite with new title.

[letter Arthur April 16]: Hooks up with Sam Nathanson for better distribution of TNT movie; [letter Mother Sherman, June 16] becomes friendly with W. Clement Stone, head of Napoleon Hill Associates in Chicago.

Urantia Book published

1956 January

March

March 14


March 27

April

April 25

May 15

May 22


August

September

October

 

In New York to give address to Sandura Floor Covering convention.

In Hollywood, collaborating with Dailey Paskman on Choose Your Partner, Twain musical

Audition for Rise Above It, negro musical, hoping to get Sol Hurok for producer; still hoping to get TNT going

Talk for Relgious Science church at Palm Springs Women’s Clubhouse on Thoughts Through Space.

“Adventures in Thinking” [monthly HMS communication] is published

Visit to Gordon MacRae’s home to play score for Choose Your Partner

Return to Arkansas

HMS in NY, Prentice-Hall, Fawcett; Mitch Hamilburg; plugging Jim Morris (Driftwood); Rise Above It; Sol Hurok; hire Stanley &Livingston to help write Twain script.

Writing How To Use the Power of Prayer and How to Turn Failure Into Success [later retitled].

TNT being shown in Detroit

October: Speaking in Grand Rapids on You Live After Death

Victor Young, who was writing score for Twain musical, died suddenly

1957 January






February

June 10-14

July

August 24

September


 


October

November

Still trying to get TNT going; negotiating with Shirley Jones and Howard Keel for Choose Your Partner [didn’t pan out]

Giving Community Betterment talks around Arkansas, a leader in inspiring to go after things in their counties that they desperately need. His philosophy applied to counties, proving its practicability; corresponds with Gusaf Stromberg.

At Ark Haven, remodeling, continuing to lecture around Arkansas.

Los Angeles with Bailes-Sherman-Hart at the Fox-Wilshire [ESP and its Relation to Prayer].

At Ark Haven

In New York for 3 weeks, How to Turn Failure into Success

Meets Hans Rosenwald, plans to correlate all material, plays, activities in one organization, to handle it all for HMS; HMS also hoping to get Einstein property produced; called Orville Faubus to congratulate him on way he handled himself on

Open Hearing TV interview.

Back in Arkansas, “Land of the Crossbow”; Senator Fulbright

November – New York with Al Pollard, concerning NBC show; phoned Wilbur Mills in Washington for appointment, also Burton K. Wheeler.

1958 February



March

May 23-mid July




July-mid August

August

September

November

November 30

December

Describes Rosenwald [to Muldoon] as a phony. Forms TV producing company in AR to produce pilot film “The Amazing Adventures of My Dog Kelly”; co-produced by Dan Milner, money raised from local AR citizens.

Molly Romano dies; How to Turn Failure Into Success published.

HMS to Hollywood to write/work with Bill Gillentine (Gil) on recorded self-help courses, “Your Power Within and How To Use It,” stays at Garden Court Apartments, form TNT International; Picture What You Want TV show; also “My Dog “Sheppy” pilot with Jimmy Driftwood. Mitch Hamilburg (agent) involved. Frank Scully friendship; H.C. Mattern dies early July.

Ark Haven, Southwest Archery Tournament in Land of Bow & Arrow

H&M return to Hollywood, “Harold Sherman Associates,” for TV show.

HMS joins Advisory Board of Belk Psychic Research Foundation.

Mentions parting of the ways with Gillentine

Death of Sir Hubert Wilkins

Shermans visit Urantia group in Los Angeles, hosted by Julia Fenderson

1959 January

February

March 30-April 4

April

April 27

May

June 23-30


September


November

Hollywood; problems with “Sheppy” show, feuds, revisions; trying sell Record Course.

Gil left him with $13,000 debt

In New York to negotiate with Mahalia Jackson for “Rise Above It”

Communicates with Suzanne Wilkins; composer Ferde Grof to finish Twain music

In Long Beach for Church of Religious Science class

Mother Sherman now staying full time with Shermans

“ESP is Your Sixth Sense” Lecture, Wilshire-Ebell Theatre; Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver lectures.

First mention Ivan Tors ("Sea Hunt") (met through Thelma Moss, workshop participant), interested in TTS movie.

Lectures at Huntington Hartford Theatre; lectures in Phoenix AZ (Nov. 20); How To Use the Power of Prayer

1960 January 1

January 15

February


March



May

July 31

August 3-4-5


October

December

Henry Hanson, financier TNT, drops dead New Years’ Day

Gerry Dumars dies

UCLA tests, Ivan Tors; class at Astara Foundation where HMS meets Gloria Swanson and Gustaf Stromberg.

Martha to Florida to visit father/stepmother; visit with Gloria Swanson, Gina Cerminara, U.S. Anderson (writer) BH Hotel; writing scripts for Tors under pseudonym due to not being in Writer’s Guild and writer’s strike on; first letter from “Louise”; begins negotiating with Suzanne Wilkins for TTS for Tors film.

Forms Self-Help Records, produces Anyone Can Stop Drinking–Even You, TNT, Power of Prayer.

Wilshire-Ebell, “Exploring the Unknown”; “Anyone Can Stop Drinking”

Ambassador Hotel, “How to Develop Your ESP Powers”;
Bob & Ruth Burton attended class.

October – deal with Tors for TTS goes cold due to Lady Wilkins not trusting Harold’s deal.

December 23 – Meredith Daniel dies

1961 January

February 1-8-15

February 5

March

April 26

April 29

May 2


June

July

August

September

October 16

November 30

January – Record deal falls through, borrows money from Jess Smith

ESP program, Religious Science Church, El Monte CA

Charles Francis Potter has stomach cancer

Formed alliance with Ivan Tors, Investigation Team of ESP and other phenomena

Martha to Traverse City to visit ailing father and stepmother

Lectures for Astara, Bob Chaney; new deal to film TTS off;

Henry Belk flies to coast to meet HMS; two talks at Wilshire Ebell Theatre; intro Belk/Tors; flies to New York and Florida with Belk; meets psychic Pat Ryan.

Writing How to Develop Your ESP Powers.

Martha flies to Traverse City for Sarah Bain’s funeral; Harold visits Markson, Hefferlins, Nandor Fodor

HMS speaks at Religious Science church in El Monte (13th); Dad Bain dies.

Mentions Si Newton, wildcatter, hitting it big in oil in Colorado near NM.

Spoke at Astara

Finished ESP book (Ivan Tors foreword)

1962 January




February

March

April


May

June


July


August


September


October
 

January – The Human Development Institute set up by wealthy Palos Verdes developer Glen Taylor; Lowell Thomas book on Sir Hubert out, Ivan Tors to make film of TTS; Taylor advancing money to Tors; Suzanne Wilkins to be consultant on TTS; contract 1/31; ESP Research Foundation established, J.B. Rhine flies out to meet HMS and is on the board.

Marie Higbee, W. Clement Stone and Henry (Harry) Niles perhaps getting on board.

Mother Sherman returns to Mountain View; Hendrix Lackey dies.

Shermans move to Lomita apartment t with offices in Palos Verdes Peninsula Center. Marie Higbee and Glen Taylor 4 days at Duke with Rhine re ESP Foundation.

Glen Taylor busy, HMS left on his own.

Glen Taylor out of the picture, what he has invested a gift; Shermans move back to Hollywood, 7067 Hawthorne Ave, June 15; Glen Taylor another phony; Walter M. Germain dies (22nd).

Writing for Ben Markson (Ben Casey, Route 66); HMS sciatica 4 weeks; becomes friendly with Sam Jaffe (actor Ben Casey).

Address Church of Life, Graumann’s, “The Divinity of All Things” (12th); Religious Science talk, El Monte, “Your Mind is Money” (10th); return to Ark Haven (arrive 30th).

ESP Research Foundation comes to nothing, jealousies and rivalries in parapsychology field; met Rev. Russell Whitesell (astral travel);

Charles Francis Potter dies (4th); Jacques Romano dies (13th); Dan Custer dies (date?); stay at Ark Haven at least to end of year.

1963 January


February

March


April

June



July



September



October





November

December

January – At Ark Haven; recording 65 five-minute, 5 x per weeks radio shows, YKTH, plus This Really Happened!, for Denver radio station; dictating new book, God Can Speak To You.

Finished GCSTY.

Applies for Directorship of Arkansas Industrial Development Commissioned, chairmanned by Winthrop Rockefeller [didn’t go through].

Revising TNT – The Power Within You for P-H.

First time into Half Mile Cave (with local Lyons Club men), which became Blanchard Springs Caves, says “we hope to open it in due time for tourists.” [good description, June 9, 1963 letter Mary & Ben]; give up apartment in Hollywood;

Rachel Gusler dies (10th) attend funeral in Chicago, Elsie B.; Clement Stone visit; Dailey Paskman visits Ark Haven for two weeks to revise Rise Above It, now called Jo-Jo, including music by Jimmie Driftwood; to Nashville (28th) confer with Fred Foster, Monument Records [J.D.]

 [letter to Mr. Overton, 9/4/63] HMS in charge of developing Half Mile Cave for tourism; [MBS letter to Mary & Marcia] another description of his cave role; fly to NY 16th for one month; Belk reactivating Belk Research Foundation

Lecture, Washington first week; Oct 7-11 New York; Wilbur Mills called HMS to Washington to give presentation for AR cave development [letter Clem Stone 10/10/63; also Frank Scully 10/23, describing also securing money for Folk Arts Center; also to Jess Stearn]; meets Jeane Dixon [via Puharich-Regis Reisenman; Maury Franks dies; return to Ark Haven mid-October; Belk visits for 3 days, begins forming ESP Research Associates with Belk’s help; press agent Jerry Halton; Belk splits with Peter Hurkos; HMS meets Jess Stearn; [letter Paul Chambers 10/28 re cave] Al Pollard, Rockefeller, check all letters in Oct-Nov

Begins seriously reading OAHSPE

Begins forming Board of Directors ARE

1964 January


February



March


April

May

June


July


August


September



October

December

Deeply studying OAHSPE; Regis Risenman mentions psychic surgery in Philippines for first time, in connection with Henry Belk.

C. Hamilton Moses attorney for ESP Research Associates; Arkansas directors and officers: Harold Sherman, Judge Arch Campbell, Al Pollard (PR man for Winthrop Rockefeller), Glen Hinkle, Marion G. Ward, Bob Grinde, Van H. Weathersby; mid-Feb, visit School of the Ozarks with Clement Stone.

To Little Rock (15th) on way to Miami to meet with Belk and Rodriquez [disappointed]; also Bob Monroe; return 23rd.

Begins discussing Philippine psychic healing project with Belk

Contacts Bob Monroe; Little Rock TV appearances re ESP class; Stone joins with Rhine, not ERA; return to School of the Ozarks for talk; ESP class Little Rock.

How to Make ESP Work For You published

drive to Denver for talk; classes San Diego, Mother Sherman dies (28th, fly back for services.

Hollywood, class El Monte, talk Graumann’s Chinese; on radio and TV for ESP book; talk San Diego

Meets Robert S. Swope; interviewed by Pamela Mason (24th); Mike Douglas Show (25th & 26th with Gloria Swanson co-hostess)

Feted in Hollywood, Cobina Wright reception, Thelma Moss; ESP seminar with Bob Monroe; to Sedona to meet oil man Si Newton; Lee Atkinson new press agent.

Third printing HTMESPWFY; drive back to AR (27th)

Blanchard cave getting elevator; HMS completes manuscript How To Solve the Mysteries of Your Mind and Soul.

1965 January



February

March

April


June


July


August


September


October

November

Flies to Washington (17th) to get tax clearance for ERA; to NY (19th) for round of radio and TV appearances re ESP book; meetings with Everett Lagle, Eileen Garrett, Dr. Karlis Otis, Bob Monroe [correspondence Russell Whitesell];

Back at Ark Haven; correspondence with Ian Stevenson.

Mentions astral-projectionist Jan Preev from Texas; Pomush plane crash; revising TNT book for P-H.

(27th) Gall bladder removed and adhesions repaired from a 1916 appendectomy; new book How to Solve the Mysteries of Your Mind and Soul.

Denver lectures (6-11th), HTSTMOYMAS; arrive Hollywood (15th), radio and TV appearances advertising coming lecture “New World of ESP”

Henry Belk returns from Philippines/Agpoa; lecture Wilshire-Ebell (13th); HMS mentions success locating missing plane Pomush; mentions Dr. Karlis Osis, Research Director A.S. Psychical Research.

Albuquerque lecture (3rd); guest of honor Cobina Wright’s Salon (7th); conferences with Gov. Brown’s authorities re Recorded Alcholic Program.

Arrive home Sept 2; mid-Sept ESP lecture Strategic Air Command, Little Rock; LR to Marion and TC to Chicago.

Chicago ESP lecture Irene Hughes (8th); dinner Marcus Bach; Les Lear; reconnects with John Mittl.

To Washington with Al Pollard re tax exempt status for ARE (9th); ESP class Little Rock (29-30); begins with Belk planning trip to Philippines to witness psychic surgery, and to write a book about it.

1966 January


February


March


April


May


June

July



August

September

October

November

December

Fly (9th) with Henry Belk to Manila, Philippines, later joined by Bob Swope and Nelson Decker, then Cy Wanderman (24th); to Japan (28th) with Cy and Motoyama.

New book, The New TNT-Miraculous Power Within You, out. ERA granted tax-exempt status; Board Meeting (28th);

ESP lecture Little Rock (1st); Belk first mentions Worralls (healers); Chicago (27-30th) radio/TV owners convention, arranged by Al Gannaway (brother Bob ARE Director).

Drive to Hollywood for radio/TV interviews re New TNT book; contract signed with DeVorss for Wonder Healers of the Philippines (10th); lecture Sacramento (28-30).

Lecture San Francisco (1-3); Denver (via Casper WY) for lecture (10-11); return Ark Haven (13th); fly back to L.A (19-29th); writing WHOTP.

Writing WHOTP

Lecture on Tony, Dallas (9th) Chiropracters convention; 18-29th fly to Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, NY (radio/TV appearances for The New TNT); Blanchard Caves under construction for public opening 1967 [letter to Shirley, 7/15/66].

To LA (16-26) confer with publishers; Albuquerque with Si Newton, then Dallas; then LR

Brother Arthur now living across from Ark Haven; HMS answering backed-up correspondence.

First contact Olga & Ambrose Worrall (via Shirley Moorman); ESP Seminar in Toronto (late Oct.)

Begins to mention Joe Pyne (LA TV personality.

At Ark Haven, answering correspondence

1967 January


February

March


April

June

July

August

September


October

November

December

Wonder Healers of the Philippines published; hospitalized 10 days for bleeding ulcer flare-up; Dallas (20th) ESP Seminar; LA (21st for 3 weeks) radio/TV appearances WH; lecture Wilshire-Ebell 8th; Chicago

Return to Ark Haven (15th); Leave 22nd for Florida, Chiropractic Seminar Orlando (25-26);

Speaking engagements Florida (8-10); en route home leaves copy of Wonder Healers with Jackie Gleason’s man.

Writing ESP and Sex;

International Healing Conference, Lee’s Summit MO, Unity, with Dr. Maltz, Marcus Bach;

Ark Haven, correspondence, back and forth to Little Rock for ERA, still no backing from oil man Si Newton.

To Michigan Aug 13-early Sept--50th high school reunion; Lansing talk (18th).

Ark Haven answering correspondence; with Joe Ruffner (healed by Tony) and 99 patients to Philippines (27th), also Flint Liddon. Stopover in Tokyo on return trip, gives second talk at S-N-I Mother Church.

Return 13th; back in Ark Haven

Subpoenaed by Wayne County Prosecution Attorney re Ruffner trip.

Robert Swope files suit against DeVorss, HMS & Belk for publishing his letters without permission; group of friends/researchers purchase 300 acres adjoining Ark Haven.

1968 January

February


March

April




May

June

July

September


November
 

December

To Kansas City (30th) Psychic Research talk, Rotary Club.

Little Rock 2-day seminar got Western Paper Co. salesmen with Al Pollard (2-3); Henry Belk and Pat Ryan flying in to Little Rock (6-8) to confer with HMS and Pollard re ERA; answering correspondence.

Ark Haven

Writing new book, The Coming Age of Mind-to-Mind Communication; ESP book in 300,000 printings; speaking Conway, Arkansas State Teacher’s College (16th) New World of ESP; eastern visit to Rhine, Garrett, Stevenson, Bob Monroe, Worralls, Arthur Ford, Karlis Osis, then Woodbury NJ (28th) Psychic Surgery talk for SFF.

Lectures Dallas (13-14).

Writing book Your Mighty Powers of ESP

Mentions Hornell Hart death; Mary Lieb (Fred’s wife) dies (25th)

To NY (15th) to see Gloria Swanson; 16th to Philadelphia to see Arthur Ford. Finished YMPOESP (25th); elected president of local Lions Club ( Blanchard Springs Caverns and Folk Cultural Center about to open).

“Fellowship Workshop in Mind-to-Mind Communication”, Little Rock (11-12th) Arthur Ford, Gloria Swanson (guest) [have announcement]

Workshop Seattle (7th)

1969 January


February

March

April

May


June

July

August

November

December

Ark Haven; to NY (27th) Martha’s arthritis, Wanderman; Garrett, Peale, Ebon, and others; Worralls (Baltimore); Rhine (Durham)

Ark Haven

Tulsa (7-12); to Bartlesville to meet W.W. Keeler (13th)

Brownfield TX (22-24); 30-May 1-3 class Bartlesville; Keeler donates $5,000 to ESP Research Associates

Body and Mind Healing Workshop (26, 27, 28) Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs AR – Worralls, Marcus Back, HMS, Irma Glen (organist)

June – Your Mysterious Powers of ESP published; talk SFF talk Washington DC (19th);

Writing How To See and Control Your Future (deadline 12/15)

Charlotte NC (2nd) SFF, “Your Mysterious Powers of ESP”

Finished How To Foresee and Control Your Future

First mention Ted Serios; Mind Control [Hubert Pearce letter 12/10]

1970 May



June


August

September

October

November


December

14-15-16th, Chicago SFF talk;
21-22-23 Second Annual Mind Body Healing Workshop, Hot Springs: Worralls, Bob Monroe, Irma Glen (returns with Shermans to Mountain View, wants to do record about Blanchard caves

How to Foresee and Control Your Future
published; writing How To Take Yourself Apart and Put Yourself Back Together Again

Finished HHTYAPYBTA (5th); Shermans 50th anniversary party (30th)

Four lectures to Cherokee Nation (Keeler chief) (8-9-10-11th); Eileen Garrett dies

lecture/vacation tour, Traverse City, Battle Creek seminar

Folk Cultural Center groundbreaking, Blanchard Caves coming along; first letter from David Hoy (4th), inviting HMS to submit an ESP experience for book.

Judge Braude dies (23rd)

1971 January



February


March


May


August

September

Arthur Ford dies (5th); Arthur’s grandson killed by truck (12th); to Washington with Pollard, Si Newton, John Johnson (24th); Belk connects HMS with psychic Anne Gehman; lectures Tulsa, St. Louis, Chicago, Washington, Memphis

February –
Begins to really get down on mind control, astrology, reincarnation, hypnotic regression, etc.

March – Lecture Indianapolis March 21; Ohio 22-23; Chicago 24th; first mention Brad Steiger

May – 3rs Annual Mind, Body, Spirit Workshop ESPRA Hot Springs AR (22-23-24): Jeane Dixon, Worralls, Russell Whitesell, Irma Glen

August – Writing Your Power to Heal about the Worralls; Brad Steiger invites HMS to contribute testimony to new book, Divine Fire; corresponding with astronaut Edgar Mitchell; Gloria Swanson letter “fell in love with Arkansas” 8/29/71;

September – Worralls spend two weeks at Ark Haven

1972 January

February

March

May


June

July

 

August

September


October

November


December 15

NYC (9th), sold YPTH to Harper & Row

Karlis Otis first mentions Ingo Swann; Ambrose Worrall dies (2nd), HMS flies to Baltimore for funeral.

Writing Harold Sherman’s ESP Manual

4th Annual Mind Body Spirit Workshop 27-28-29: Thelma Moss, Dr. Motoyama, Anne Gehman, Edgar Mitchell, Bob Monroe

First mention Pat Mahony (Hollywood writer/columnist interested in spiritual matters).

Begins writing Anne Gehman’s story, You Can Communicate With the Unseen World (Gehmans pay HMS $5,000); Anne and husband Bob Robeson spend one week at Ark Haven (in trailer) to work on book material; still working on cave and cultural center development;

First mention Stanley Dean; also Freda Fell (put in touch by Dr. Leonid Kovalevsky); Susy Smith

First mention Walter H. Uphoff [letter to Maurice Barbanell 9/15/72]; YPTH published; Belk first mentions Uri Geller; Joe Pope phone conversation [referred by Belk]

Lecture tour Chicago, Minnesota, Wisconsin (8th); Bessie Lasky dies; Neville Goddard dies

New York (12-18th), radio/TV appearances YPTH; meets Ingo Swann for first time; signs contract with Fawcett for YCCWTUW; Rudolf Friml dies;

Si Newton dies age 102.

1973 January

March

April


May

June 9-10-11



August

September

December 4

Denver late Jan lecture YPTH;

Seminar Staunton, VA (1st);

Gordon Melton mentioned; finished writing YCCWTUW; long-distance test with Ingo Swann (27th) psychic probe of Jupiter

Toledo lecture (3rd);

Mind Body Spirit Workshop, Dallas: Brad Steiger, Olaf; Walter Uphoff; Douglas Dean; Anne Gehman; Olga Worrall, David Hoy; First mention recorded spirit voices, Lamoreaux brothers via Walter Uphoff & Ray Patterson

First mention diabetes, Blanchard Caves open & first tour [letter to Cy 8/6/73

Appearance TV show, “The Amazing World of Kreskin” (25th) Ottowa

“New World of ESP” lecture Palm Springs/John Hefferlin

1974 March


May

June 15-16-17



August

September

October


December

HMS & Ingo Swann psychic probe of Mercury (11th); “The Scientific Approach to ESP” Amherst MA (20-21-22);

Principal speaker Oklahoma Writers Convention (3-4);

Workshop, Dallas TX, Sheraton: George Meek, Gannaway, Ingrun (Philippine healings); Bertha Harris, Ingo Swann, Dr. Alex Tanous, Al Pollard; Dr. Carl Simonton, Olga Worrall, Evelyn Monahan, Dr. Ralph Sierra, LaVerne, Bob Seutemann

Visit the Bob and Ruth Burton to gather info for How To Know What to Believe

Approximate date Merrill Davis dies

Sarantites mention (scientist); George Meek, Walter Uphoff, Ingo Swann visits Ark Haven; first mention HTKWTB

First communication Glen Olds, Judy Skutch; begins correspondence with Jacques Weiss

1975 January




February


March 15-16

May

June 23

July 29

October

Burton K. Wheeler dies (7th); HMS to NY (17-24th), publishing matters; introduced to Uri Geller by Glen Olds in New York, discuss A. D. Sarantites (energy matters); Ingo Swann reception for HMS where he meets Judith Skutch, who introduces him to Glenn Olds, who introduces him to Uri Geller; meets Beatrice Straight; sold HTKWTB to Fawcett

To Phoenix with Glenn Olds and Glen Brown (atomic scientist) and Tony Sarantites (developed electric generator that works on air power) (Loren Parks funding)

Anne Gehman Seminar, Florida

Suzanne Wilkins dies

Phoenix meeting scientists

Finished writing HTKWTB

ESP Research Associates research into tape recordings of “spirit voices” being funded by lifetime memberships; HMS attends UFO conference in Fort Smith AR

1976 January


March

April

May

June 25-26-27



July 16

August

October



November

December

Mentions helping develop Blanchard Springs Caverns, going to Washington with locals and getting 5 million dollars for development.

HMS operation for skin cancer on face (3rd);

[look up exact date: correspondence begins with Prince Blackson, Ghana

HTKWTB
published

Mind Body Spirit Healing Workshop, St. Louis: Uri Geller, Dr. Glen Olds, Larry LeShan, Evelyn Monahan, Olga Worrall, Bill Stantum, Ingo Swann, Allen Hyneck, Dr. Robert Miller, Anne Gehman, Alex Tanous, David Hoy, Raymond Moody, Dr. Gerald Jampolsky

Hamid Bey dies (16th)

First letter Theo Schwartz (Oahspe-Urantia); Cy Wanderman dies (prior to 23rd)

Speaking for Astara (15-16); Stanford visit with Ingo Swann doing Remote Viewing tests; also Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff; together with Al Pollard producing videos for TV pilot Know Your Own Mind (“Psychic Adventures”

Circa 20th: Hiroshi and Kaoru Motoyama visit two days in Ark Haven (have pictures);

Spending three days a week in Tulsa re TV pilot Know Your Own Mind

1977 March


April

May


June 25-26

August 3-4-5-6

 


October

December

Harold and Martha to California (4-9th), speaker, Ernest Holmes Research Foundation: “Horizons in Healing” (5th); Denver, Casper until 13th;

Still finishing “Psychic Adventures” TV show for public television

Writing Picture What You Want; Shermans three weeks to Hawaii (stopover) and Japan (29th), to give talk “The Healing Power of Picturization” at Motoyama’s International Conference on Psychology and Religion.

Shermans attend UFO Congress Chicago (25-26th)

Mind Body Spirit workshop, St. Louis. Participants: Olga Worrall, Anne Gehman, Dr. Evelyn Monohan, Ingo Swann, Julia Turchuk, Alex Tanous, Dr. Allen Hynek, Dr. Raymond Moody, Dr. Gerald Jampolsky, John McClernan (organist), Bob Gannaway and newcomers, Dr. Hal Puthoff, Russell Targ, Erik Sletholt, Stephen Schwartz, Dr. James Kightlinger, Dr. Jaques Vallee, Gloria Swanson & husband, Bill Duffy, Al Pollard

Finished writing Picture What You Want

Writing stage play, “The Universe and Albert Einstein”; more involvement with EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena); Ray Patterson; Beatrice Straight correspondence begins.

1978 February


March

July 28-29-30



October


November


December

Letter by Martha describing their lives and how HMS got involved with Science of Mind = good synopsis (Feb 4th);

HMS to NY (5-13th) for Picture What You Want.

Mind Body Spirit Healing Workshop, St. Louis. Participants: Rose Gladden, Robert Monroe, Martin Ebon, Dr. Ralph Sierra, Ivan Tors, Dr. Alex Tanous, Dr. Karlis Osis, Olga Worrall, Dr. Allen Hynek, John Robinson, Harry Morgan and Dr. C. Norman Shealy.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross correspondence; lectures at Ozark Writers Conference in Eureka Springs, meets Janet Thoma (editor)

San Francisco (14th); LA(17th); Redondo Beach (18th); Upland (19th); Escondido stay to visit Lora Holman, OAHSPE.

Uphoffs, Loriaux, Ray Patterson two days at Ark Haven to study taped “spirit voices.; $10,000 grant (McDonnell) for research into survival after death; Bill Tiller/Sarantites project/group: HMS, Keeler, Ben Caplan, Grosse, Al Pollard, Glenn Olds. 

1979 January


March

April

May


July


September


October



November

December

Correspondence Freda Fell; mentions no Workshop this year, instead devoting time to studying life after death.

Gardner Murphy dies;

Lectures Florida, Palm Beach Round Table (19th), on long distance telepathy experiments

Ten days Shermans to Encinitas, CA, Holistic Health Conference (Motoyama), speak 25th; Lora Horst; Shanti Nilaya to visit Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Traverse City, speaking at Sutton’s Bay MI for Norman Creamer’s Freedom Festival, director of SOLAR (4th) (Green Man); Kiwanis 9th; Bain family reunion July 13.

Norman & Katy Creamer spend 3 days at Ark Haven, joint publisher with HMS and Ray Palmer of Green Man and His Return (1979); mention Jerry Halton dead

Detroit (20th) National Spiritualist Convention, lecture YLAD; Immortality Symposium (27th) with Kubler-Ross, San Jose; Phoenix lecture, Religious Science, visit Brad & Francie Steiger; news of Arthur Curran’s death in February;

Writing The Dead Are Alive! (25th);

News of Dailey Paskman death

1980 January

February

March

April


May

June 22

July

August

December

Ark Haven, correspondence

Writing Extra Success Potential  (with Al Pollard) and The Dead Are Alive

Freda Fell coming to Ark Haven for a week

NY with Al Pollard to see publishers; good description of history of Blanchard Springs Caverns [MBS letter April 20, 1980]

Asks Whitney Foundation for funding for Ceylonese psychic Kaluaratchi

Finished writing The Dead Are Alive

Finished Extra Success Potential

HMS has cataract operation;

$2000 grant to ESP Research Associates from Whitney Foundation via Beatrice Straight; Hawthorne Daniel died 1980 [Xmas card 1982 from friend]

1981 January

March

April


May


June 12-14

July 19

August

September

December

90-minute Freda Fell TV pilot “Voices From the Beyond”

Kansas City “Dead Are Alive” ESPRA Seminar (7th), Freda Fell, Ingo Swann

Edmonton, Alberta, One Day Seminar, “How to Use ESP in Business and Everyday Life” (4th); The Dead Are Alive published (15th); David Hoy dies

HMS mentions that his leadership brought about the 10-million-dollar Folk Culture Center, headed by Jimmie Driftwood [May 19]

Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship convention, keynote speaker, Baltimore

Maurice Barbanell dies

Converting books to home videos

Denver lecture (19-20th), followed by visit to Marcia/Wendell in Casper

Planned trip to Sri Lanka to investigate psychic phenomena cancelled

1982 January

February


June

July

August



September



November

December

Tony Agpaoa dies (29th); Joachim & Sandra Harnecker (Chile) correspondence

Correspondence Monte Hearon (OR); Bill Blair Video (Tulsa) taken over by Technicolor, thus HMS videos out; good description early Arkansas days [letter 2/28]

Mention of Emily Spilman death

Andrija Puharich visits HMS (20-22nd); Louis Spilman visits Ark Haven

Madison WI Uphoff seminar (4-8th); setting up Harold Sherman Communications Center at Ark Haven, with complete library of HMS self-help/ESP books and recorded self-development courses with Beatrice Straight; letter (20th) mentions Joachim death

Ark Haven visit Greta Woodrew/Dick Smolowe; Belk mentions 4-day Ark Haven visit, asks John Fuller to write HMS biography; lecture Dallas (24-25th) “What God is to Me”; HMS hospitalized for hemorrhaging stomach ulcers following lecture.

Dr. Ralph Sierra dies;

Spiricom/EVP/Meek mention; Irma Glen dies (15th);
Wendell Smith dies (13th)

1983 May 15-16

June 13-20

August 19-26

September


November

Ark Haven visit Monte Hearon

Visit to Greta Woodrew, North Carolina

Sarah Estep’s Electronic Voice Phenomena Conference, Baltimore

Yorkshire Television Inc. crew to Ark Haven to film Thoughts Through Space, with survivor Reginald Iverson; mention Joseph Crossen death (19th)

HMS laid up several weeks with skin cancer face & hands.

1984 January

June

August



September 11

October

November

December

Correspondence with Vern and Jean Wheeler re updating and explaining Oahspe

Mentions another secret Stanford test with Ingo Swan, psychic probe of Mars (23rd)

Mentions that time is now spent preparing and distributing self-development courses and answering mail; describes (21st) in letter to Marcia HMS working with two “warring” sides to get roads built etc.; Martha slips on back porch, breaks wrist

Grace Palmer Hoiles death notice (11th);

HMS suffers head injury from car accident [letter Beatrice Straight 4/26]

Good synopsis of experience with Glen Taylor fiasco 1962 [letter to Ingo Swann 11/13]

Daughter Marcia moves in to Ark Haven Dec 1 [letter Beatrice Straight 4/26]

1985 January


April


June

July

August

Olga Worrall dies (9th); HMS hospitalized [two months] for allergy/diabetic attack; receives letter Jacques Weiss re Green Man and His Return, offering to translate it into French (15th); Clyde Bedell dies (22nd);

Daughter Marcia moves in to help parents [letter Hefferlin 4/20]; mentions Monte Gideon [letter to Beatrice Straight 4/26]; Marcia helping with newsletter since Jan-Feb issue

Brother Arthur Sherman dies of leukemia

Henry Belk visits Ark Haven for a week early July;

Harold Hayward dies [letter Sept. 7]

1986 March

August

November
 

Louis Spilman death mention [3/19 – letter Susan]

Beatrice Straight visit [8/7 letter];

Al Pollard stroke; last ESP Research Associates newsletter completed with Marcia’s help

1987 January

March

April

July

August 19

Dead Are Alive! Reissued by Fawcett

First mention Les Lynch, Marcia’s future husband [letter to Monte 3/1/]

April – Monte Hearon visit (1-12th)

July – HMS in hospital (MBS letter to Ken Anderson 7/24)

Harold answered volumes of correspondence and continued to write in his little home near Mountain View almost until his death on August 19, 1987 at age 89. He is buried in Traverse City, Michigan.

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