Powers, Dennis M.

Person

Staff Only

Biography

Dennis M. Powers first began writing poetry while practicing law in Santa Barbara. Later his work expanded to include newspaper and magazine articles, fiction, and nonfiction books.

His early nonfiction works include Legal Street Smarts (1994), Beating the Tough Times (1995), Legal Expense Defense (1995), The Office Romance (1998), and The Internet Legal Guide (2001). In 2005, Dennis published The Raging Sea, his first book about maritime stories and events. Other books in this genre include Treasure Ship (2006), Sentinel of the Seas (2007), Taking the Sea (2008), and Tales of the Seven Seas: The Escapades of Captain Dynamite Johnny O'Brien (2010).

Living in Ashland, Oregon inspired Dennis to research local history. He wrote hundreds of scripts and historical treatises for local radio programs. He created the local history book, Images of America: Gold Hill (2010) to benefit the Gold Hill Historical Society. He also created an audiobook, “Past and Present: What You Might Not Know (But Want To) About Southern Oregon History" (2013) and used the proceeds to contribute to local charitable causes.

Dennis received a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Colorado in Boulder, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Law School, and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. He is Professor Emeritus of business law at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon and resides there with his wife, Judy.

Found in 352 Collections and/or Records:

Manuscript inserts, 2004-2005

File — Box 01: Series MSS043:02 [Barcode: 35138008124106], Folder: 2

Identifier: MSS043:02.01.02

Scope and Contents

This folder contains various manuscript inserts of the book by Dennis Powers about the S.S. Brother Jonathon entitled "Treasure Ship." Also included here are many correspondences between Mr. Powers and subjects from the book.

Dates: 2004-2005

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Materials regarding the books “Treasure Ship" and “Taking the Sea”

Manuscripts, bulk: 1988-2017

Series — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS044:01

Scope and Contents

A typed manuscript for Dennis M. Powers' book The Tourless Traveler's Guide

Dates: Majority of material found within 1988-2017

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers papers

Maps

File — Box 05: Series MSS043:03 [Barcode: 35138008124296], Folder: 6

Identifier: MSS043:03.05.06

Scope and Contents

Photocopies of several nautical maps concerning the St. George Reef lighthouse area.

Dates: 1792-2007

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Research materials for “Sentinel of the Seas”

Marine history materials, 1913-1961

File — Box 07: Series MSS043:04 [Barcode: 35138008124379], Folder: 5

Identifier: MSS043:07.05

Scope and Contents The first item in this folder is a printed excerpt from a book published by Antiquarian Press, Ltd. (New York) in 1961 called Marine History of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Review of the Growth and Development of the Maritime Industry, from the Advent of the Earliest Navigators to the Present Time, with Sketches and Portraits of a Number of Well Known Marine Men edited by E. W. Wright. The second item is a printed photocopy of an article from volume 24 of National Geographic called...

Dates: 1913-1961

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Materials regarding “Tales of the Seven Seas: The Escapades of Captain Dynamite Johnny O’Brien”

Master of the Moving Sea excerpt , 1959

Item — Box 01: Series MSS043:04 [Barcode: 35138008124312], Folder: 8

Identifier: MSS043:04.01.08

Scope and Contents

The excerpt is from a book entitled Master of the Moving Sea: The Life of Captain Peter John Riber Mathieson From His Anecdotes, Manuscripts, Notes, Stories, and Detailed Records by Gladys M. O. Gowlland (1959).

Dates: 1959

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Materials regarding “Tales of the Seven Seas: The Escapades of Captain Dynamite Johnny O’Brien”

Master Wrecker revised proposal, 1870-2006

Item — Box 11: Series MSS043:02 [Barcode: 35138008124205], Folder: 2

Identifier: MSS043:02.11.02

Scope and Contents

The revised proposal concerns an early iteration of Powers' "Taking the Sea" for Jeanne Fredericks Literary Agency, Inc. dated 8-1-06. At this time, the working title was "Master Wrecker: The Adventurous World of Captain Whitelaw." Included are some pictures from Whitelaw's era with captions.

Dates: 1870-2006

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Materials regarding the books “Treasure Ship" and “Taking the Sea”

Master Wrecker sample chapters, undated

Item — Box 11: Series MSS043:02 [Barcode: 35138008124205], Folder: 3

Identifier: MSS043:02.11.03

Scope and Contents

The text titled "Master Wrecker: The Adventurous World of Captain Whitelaw" contains undated sample chapters from an early draft iteration of Powers' "Taking the Sea."

Dates: undated

Found in: Southern Oregon University, Hannon Library / Dennis M. Powers maritime papers / Materials regarding the books “Treasure Ship" and “Taking the Sea”

Material request/permission forms and correspondence (1 of 14), 1896-2007, bulk 2004-2007

File — Box 07: Series MSS043:02 [Barcode: 35138008124163], Folder: 9

Identifier: MSS043:02.07.09

Scope and Contents These materials include various reproduction request forms and permission of use forms (largely for photographs), as well as several letters of correspondence between Powers and the various institutions from whom he was requesting materials, as well as the editors and publishers of his books. Also included are reproductions of the multiple photographs and documents from said institutions, some of which date back to the nineteenth century. Most of these materials are related to shipbuilding...

Dates: 1896-2007, bulk 2004-2007