The Fannie Bolton Story: A Collection of Source Documents

Introduction

Fannie Bolton was 28 years old when Ellen White first met her in 1887. Miss Bolton’s newspaper reports of the Illinois camp meeting had impressed Mrs. White, who soon hired the younger woman as a literary assistant. FBS ii.1

For most of the next decade, Miss Bolton worked for Mrs. White. As these documents make clear, from the very beginning Mrs. White sensed a certain instability and spiritual immaturity in Miss Bolton. Several times in the years to come Fannie voiced criticisms of Ellen White and dissatisfaction with the fact that the literary assistants did not get more public recognition for their work. FBS ii.2

To know of Miss Bolton’s complaints is one thing; to read them in the context of her total experience with Ellen White is quite another. Thus it has been felt that serious researchers would appreciate, and profit from, reading a complete collection of documents pertaining to Fannie Bolton’s experience. FBS ii.3

This collection of source documents sets forth every detail of the Fannie Bolton story. No primary source document relevant to the Bolton case has been omitted. Even scurrilous and unsupported allegations have been included. Thus readers can judge Miss Bolton’s charges in the light of the total evidence. Deletions in the documents have been kept to a minimum and nothing has been omitted unless it was completely irrelevant. If we discover we have omitted any relevant source, we will include it in later printings. FBS ii.4

E.G. White Estate,
April, 1982