Zane Grey’s renown couldn’t have been possible without wife Dolly

Behind every successful man is a woman, and behind Pearl ‘Zane’ Grey was his wife Dolly.

Grey, a Zanesville native, was the author who popularized the concept of ‘the Old West.” He traveled the west for 30 years gathering information that would become the groundwork for his plethora of books. 

Grey did not do all the work himself, however. 

Lina ‘Dolly’ Roth met Grey in 1900 while canoeing. Roth was studying to be a schoolteacher, but she gave up her teaching career upon marrying Grey in 1905. 

Grey practiced as a dentist in New York City for years, but closed his practice to work full-time as an author. Roth’s inheritance provided the initial financial cushion for them while Grey worked with publishers. 

Grey’s first novel Betty Zane was not picked up by any publishers, so Roth paid to publish it independently. 

It was Roth’s work as Grey’s editor that gradually improved his writing. 

Not only his editor, Roth also worked with publishers, agents, and movie studios to handle the business side of Grey’s writing. 

Grey and Roth were a team, and they worked well together. Despite Grey having many mistresses over the years, Roth viewed his adultery as more of his handicap than his choice. Grey was prone to anger, depression, and mood swings. Roth, knowing the ins and outs of her husband’s mental state, seemed to embrace Grey and his mistresses. It was said Roth would give Grey advice on how to deal with all the young ladies vying for him. Roth even helped conceal her husband’s affairs, as a scandal would plummet book sales. 

As one-half of the team, Roth received half of the profits from Grey’s work. Grey often traveled for his work and was rarely home, so from Roth’s half of the income she covered all the family expenses. While away, Grey would mail Roth the manuscripts. She would then edit and deliver them to the publisher. 

Throughout his affairs, Grey maintained his love for Roth. She was important both to him and to his writing career. In a letter written to her in 1903, Grey says, “I do put great store in your understanding of me, and your influence over me. Not easy to find a girl to love you. But no one on Earth will find another who can … make something out of me.”

The love was mutual despite Grey rarely being home. In a 1918 letter that Grey kept in his wallet, Roth writes, “keep my love with you all the time.”

While their marriage was unconventional, it seemed to work for them. They had three children before Grey died of a heart attack in 1939. Roth continued to edit and publish Grey’s work after his death. 

Roth helped to found the Zane Grey Museum in Norwich.