The pioneers in the movement were Marie Louise Andrews, J. C. Ochiltree, Dr. James Newton Matthews, Richard Lew Dawson and Dr. W. H. Taylor.
and especially to the writers of the Wabash Valley and the adjacent states to meet in convention in June 1886 at the city of Terre Haute or Indianapolis, Indiana."
The call also stated that the objects of the meeting were “to form an association of the literary profession for mutual strength, profit and acquaintance; to discuss the methods of composition, and all topics pertaining to the advancement of literature in America; to produce and publish a representative volume of the western authors from the miscellaneous poems, stories and sketches read during this convention or festival.” The response to this call indicated Indianapolis as the preferred meeting place.
All the annual conventions through that time, with the exception of one, were held at Winona Park, an assembly area near Warsaw, Indiana, somewhat on the Chautauqua plan.
"[1] James Whitcomb Riley, co-founder and poet, published the following books: "The Lesson and Other Poems,” “The Cabin in the Clearing,” "Hoosier Bards,” and "Rhymes of Our Neighborhood.“ Instead of presenting one of his own poems at an Association meeting, Parker read a production by a young African-American, Paul Dunbar, whom the Association discovered when they held a meeting in Dayton, Ohio, and whose work William Dean Howells included in some columns in Harper's Weekly.
A man who contributed much to the success of the Association was Dr. James Newton Matthews, of Mason, Illinois, a co-founder and one of the most popular writers of the west.
Various other writers were supporters and members of the Association, and these included Dr. David Starr Jordan, Eugene Fitch Ware, W. W. Pfrimmer, of Kentland.
Judge Alfred Ellison, of Anderson, Indiana, Judge D. P. Baldwin, and Joseph S. Reed, of Sullivan, Indiana were also pioneer friends of the Association, along with Col. Coates Kinney, of Norwood, Ohio, Soule Smith, of Lexington, Kentucky, Lawrence Mendenhall, of Cincinnati, John Uri Lloyd, author of “Etidorhpa," Dr. Lawrence C. Carr, of Cincinnati, R. Ellsworth Call, a scholar and authority on college affairs, Dr. John M. Crawford, counsel to St. Petersburg, and F. F. Oldham, of Queen City, Ohio.
[4] Among the names of women writers on the list of members of the Association were Mary Elizabeth Caldwell Zedtwitz, Mrs. E. S. Thompson, Ida May Davis, Hannah E. Davis, Evaleen Stem, Minnie Thomas Boyce, Elizabeth Hiatt Gregory, Elora Steams Venter, Lulia C. Aldrich, of Wauseon, Eva Best, of Dayton, May Wright Sewall, of Indianapolis, and M. Sears Brooks of Madison, Indiana.