Writin’ the Range #571: Henry Sinclair Drago Papers

Published February 17, 2026 at 6:00 AM MST

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Front cover of Henry Sinclair Drago’s Western Fenced Off, 1959. Box 6, Henry Sinclair Drago papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Photograph of Henry Sinclair Drago at his home in White Plains, New York, taken from the Sunday News, August 17, 1958. Box 6, Henry Sinclair Drago papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Photograph of Henry Sinclair Drago with some of his collection of Western artifacts, taken from the Sunday News, August 17, 1958. Box 6, Henry Sinclair Drago papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Photograph of Henry Sinclair Drago and his wife reviewing the galley proofs of one of his books, taken from the Sunday News, August 17, 1958. Box 6, Henry Sinclair Drago papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower enjoyed relaxing with a good Western. And two of his favorite authors were Bliss Lomax and Will Ermine. Little did he know that they were one in the same. Author Henry Sinclair Drago used multiple pen names, including Bliss Lomax and Will Ermine for the more than 100 Westerns he authored.

Drago was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio and got his first writing job as a reporter for the Toledo Bee newspaper. It was short lived. His boss accused him of writing more fiction than fact.

Drago tried his hand at acting, bookselling, and publishing, before he began what was to become a lucrative career writing Westerns. He authored his first novel in 1923 and eventually had a publishing contract under which he churned out three books a year.

Most of his writing was done from his home in White Plains, New York. Although Drago wasn’t of the West, he collected Western artifacts and used an 1890 atlas to make sure he got placenames and landmarks correct.

See the Henry Sinclair Drago papers at UW’s American Heritage Center. for more information.