Douglas Stapleton and Samuel Granville Staples

[m23to53]

I was looking for a Douglas Stapleton born c1904 who in the mid-1950s co-authored three light novels with his wife Dorothy as D Stapleton.
I believe I have now found him, but would appreciate anyone's thoughts on how I can confirm my findings.
The only entry on Ancestry for him was a death record 31 October 1901 in Virginia to 19 May 1974. Then by accident I also found a death record for a Samuel Granville Staples with the same dates, locations, and SSN!
Staples was born in DC according to censuses (son of Damuel Granville Staples jr and Douglas Maryon), but I think he may have grown up in Virgina as he is living in the state according to a schools listing from 1925. He appears on the 1940 census as an author and teacher, married to Helen (his second wife married 1938) and with a son Richard, 13, presumably from the first marriage.
In 1948 a NY street directory has a Douglas Stapleton and a Saml G Staples, both at the same address. Then in a 1955 Louisiana street directory, Samuel G Staples and Dorothy Staples are listed -at the same address as a Douglas Stapleton and wife Dorothy (A).
So my assumption is that Samuel Granville Staples sometime, probably in the 1940s, took the name Douglas Stapleton - possibly professionally because of the double listing.

But is there any way to confirm this? And is there anyway to trace Dorothy,as i have no idea if she married him as Staples or Stapleton, or where,, and therefore what a possible death record would be under. I have found three possible deaths for a Dorothy A Stapleton.
I have contacted some of the  Ancestry trees with entries for him, but so far no replies.

Thanks
John

[shellyesq]

The California death index says this Samuel Staples died in Los Angeles County, California - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP29-BQ7

There is a 1937 passenger list for Samuel Granville Staples born on the same day in Washington DC - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24KG-JFJ  He is listed as divorced.

[jorose]

When was Dorothy born? Could this be her?
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPH8-TK4

I can find some references to "Douglas and Dorothy Stapleton" of Monroe, Louisiana:
www.newspapers.com/newspage/81829003/

Douglas and Dorothy Stapleton will be honored at an autograph party from 3:30 to 5:30 o’clock Monday at Ferd Levi Stationery Company, at the corner of DeSiard and North Grand. The couple will autograph their latest mystery “Late for the Funeral.” The tea is being sponsored by the Book Fellow Club. Members of the club will serve during the appointed hours. Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton are newcomers to Monroe and will be affliated with the new television station FKAZ. They write as a team and are authors of several television and radio shows in addition to mysteries. Mr. Stapleton has also written a number of books on economics and sociology. Among his radio and television shows are “The Shadow,” “Two Thousand Plus.’’ “The Better Half” and “Can You Top This.” The Stapletons are from New York City and have come to Monroe from Virginia Beach. Mrs. Stapleton is the former Dorothy Aden of Bastrop.

https://archive.org/details/alumnicolumns50nort_1
 - here (go full screen then search e.g. for Aden) published in 1950, it says they were married "four and a half years ago", after meeting in New York.  "Douglas Stapleton" is stated to be from Virginia.

https://archive.org/details/Virginia_Beach_Sun-News_1953-01
and here (same again, go full screen then search) it is specified that "Sam and Dorothy Staples" write under their pen-names - Douglas and Dorothy Stapleton.  Sam Staples is stated to be the son of "Mrs D. M. Link"

[shellyesq]

A Social Security record for Richard Lazell Staples, born 7 Jul. 1926 in Denver, Colorado and died 9 Jul. 2000, says he was the son of Samuel G. Staples and Helen I. Lazell.  There is a brief obituary for him here - https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=39388

[shellyesq]

Dorothy Aden Stapleton is mentioned as a predeceased sister in this obituary - http://www.genealogybuff.com/la/la-lincoln-obits17.htm

[shellyesq]

It looks like there is a picture of Dorothy & Douglas in this newspaper:  http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/90441142/

[m23to53]

Hi Shelly,

I am most grateful for your help with this and finding the answer. I believe Dorothy was the Dorothy Tucker Aden, born Louisiana, who married an unknown Staples according to a family tree.

many thanks
John