Opal Whiteley

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Opal Whiteley (December 11, 1897—February 16, 1992) was a nature writer and diarist whose childhood journal was first published in 1920 as The Story of Opal in serialized form in the Atlantic Monthly, then later that same year as a book with the title The Story of Opal: The Journal of an Understanding Heart.^[1] The diary was reprinted with a biography and foreword by Benjamin Hoff in 1994.

In her diary and later in life, Opal claimed to have been adopted by the Whiteleys, and was later buried under the name Françoise de Bourbon-Orléans. Opal's true origins and the veracity of her diary were disputed during her lifetime, and continue to be questioned today. While she has many fans (Opalites) who believe her claim to French royalty and that her book was an authentic childhood diary, others claim that she fabricated the diary to gain publicity and suffered from a psychological disease(schizophrenia) that led her to engage in fantasies about her "true" parents.^[2] In either case, her diary remains a beloved part of American literature.

Opal (who preferred to be called Françoise d'Orléans) claimed through her entire life to be the daughter of a Duke Henri, Prince of Orléans of the French royal family. Henri died unmarried in 1901. Opal stated she was taken to Oregon in 1902 where she was given to a lumber camp family. Everett Baker, an attorney and head of the Christian Endeavor organization in Oregon, wrote a letter to the publisher of Opal's diary testifying that on two occasions Mrs. Elizabeth Whitely, Opal's mother, admitted to him and his wife that Opal was adopted.

Those who disbelieve her story claim that Opal Irene Whiteley was born in Colton, Washington, the first of the five children of Ed and Lizzie Whiteley. In 1903, after having spent almost a year in Wendling, Oregon, they moved to Walden, Oregon, near the town of Cottage Grove, Oregon.

Hoff's reprint of the journal contained a detailed account of his research into Opal's life and the origins of her diary. Hoff concluded that the diary was authentically created in childhood and provided considerable supporting evidence, but he disbelieved Opal's claims of her adoption. He was unsuccessful in his attempts to visit Opal at Napsbury Hospital, where she had been a patient since 1948. Nevertheless, he was able to send her a copy of the reprinted book before she died.

Though the American copyright of the diary of Opal Whiteley has lapsed, the international copyright is still extant and is held by the Library of the University of London. The full dramatic rights to the diary are held by Robert Lindsey-Nassif, author of the Off-Broadway musical, OPAL, which won the Richard Rodgers and AT&T Awards.

[edit] External links

• Transcript of the diary with additional resources, from the University of Oregon
• Opal Whiteley papers in the University of London archives
• Opal Whiteley Memorial
• "The Fantastic Tale of Opal Whiteley" by Steve McQuiddy
• Complete text of The Fairyland Around Us.
• Opal, A film by Dina Ciraulo. Inspired by the life and writing of Opal Whiteley.
• Guide to the Opal Whiteley Papers at the University of Oregon

[edit] Sources