William Wright (1829-1898), better known by the pen name Dan DeQuille or Dan De Quille, was an American author, journalist, and humorist. For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends A humorist is a person who writes or performs humorous material He was best known for his written accounts of the people, events, and silver mining operations on the Comstock Lode at Virginia City, Nevada, including his non-fiction book A History of the Big Bonanza (American Publishing Company, 1876). The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt Non-fiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as Fact. DeQuille was on the staff of the (Virginia City) Enterprise for over thirty years, and his writings were also printed in other publications throughout the country and abroad. Highly regarded for his knowledge of silver mining techniques and his ability to explain them in simple terms, he was also appreciated for his humor, similar in style to that of his associate and friend Mark Twain, and of a type very popular in the United States at that time. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist The United States of America —commonly referred to as the He was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 1994.
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Early life
William Wright was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1829, the oldest of nine children. Knox County is a County located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 1849 he moved west with his family to West Liberty, Iowa, where in 1853 he married Caroline Coleman. West Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. Their union produced five children, two of which died in infancy.
In 1857, leaving his family behind, he traveled to California in search of gold. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. While living as a nomadic prospector in the Sierra foothills and Mono Lake region, he heard of the discovery of silver on the other side of the Sierras and ventured to Virginia City, Nevada in 1859. The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U Mono Lake is an Alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U With no success at prospecting there and in need of funds to send his wife and children in Iowa, Wright applied for regular employment in Virginia City at the (Territorial) Enterprise, a newspaper that had recently relocated there from Carson City, Nevada. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. He was hired in 1862 and soon adopted the pen name Dan DeQuille. A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity
Writing career
William Wright was interested as a young adult in a career as a writer. After his move to Iowa he wrote and submitted manuscripts to popular magazines in the East Coast. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern While prospecting for gold in California he wrote articles on prospector mining that were published in California newspapers. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Long letters to his family helped to develop his skills at humorous exaggeration and detailed description. Following his move to Virginia City, he wrote articles that were printed in San Francisco's Golden Era. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The Golden Era was a nineteenth century San Francisco Newspaper that featured the writing of Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller,
Soon after he became known as Dan DeQuille at the Enterprise, another unsuccessful miner named Sam Clemens was hired to work under him in August 1863. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Clemens adopted the pen name Mark Twain. A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist The two of them reported on local events and wrote columns for the newspaper. Under DeQuille's editorial supervision, Twain established his reputation as a humorous writer. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Twain would later describe this period in his book Roughing It. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Roughing It is semi-autobiographical Travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. Twain left Virginia City in May 1864 and after brief stays in San Francisco and Hawaii he toured as a lecturer, which brought him back for visits to Virginia City and DeQuille in 1866 and 1868. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the
In 1874 mine operators John W. Mackay, James G. Fair, Sen. John William Mackay ( November 28, 1831 - July 20, 1902) was an American capitalist, born in Dublin Ireland. James Graham Fair ( December 3, 1831 &ndash San Francisco, December 28, 1894) was the overnight millionaire part-owner of the John P. Jones, and William Ralston decided that a book should be written about the history of the Comstock. John Percival Jones ( January 27, 1829 - November 12, 1912) was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican William "Billy" Chapman Ralston ( January 12, 1826 - August 27, 1875) was a San Francisco California businessman and The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt They approached DeQuille as the preferred author and he accepted the task. His original intent was to write a small book which could be sold to overland train passengers and to continue expanding it with new information and additional sketches until it eventually became a volume which could be published for a broader audience.
DeQuille set to work on the book, collecting data, illustrations, and sketches to be included. In March 1875 he sent a letter to Mark Twain, then residing in Hartford, Connecticut, to seek his advise on having the book published. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Concurrently Twain had himself seen a need for such a book and, seeing DeQuille as the one to write it, wrote him a letter to that effect. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist In response to DeQuille's letter, Twain responded with a 19-page letter enthusiastically providing advice and an invitation for DeQuille to gather up all the material he might need and join him in Hartford where they could each work on their respective projects in close proximity and mutual support. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist
Under Twain's mentorship during the summer of 1875, DeQuille pieced together a sizable volume which contained a mixture of technical chapters on silver mining interspersed with lighter accounts of Nevada events and individuals, including the Northern Paiute group of Native Americans living in the vicinity. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States DeQuille and Twain believed the book would have wide appeal and sell well. Twain helped DeQuille negotiate a favorable contract with his own publisher and DeQuille returned to Virginia City late that summer. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist In October a fire destroyed much of the city and his account of this tragedy would become the last chapter of his book.
A History of the Big Bonanza was published by the American Publishing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1876. Year 1876 ( MDCCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year They also published A History of the Comstock Silver Lode Mines, a smaller version as a paper-bound guide-book to be sold on overland trains. The main book was eagerly anticipated in Virginia City and sold well on the Pacific Coast, but sales in the East were disappointing. The " West Coast " " Western Seaboard " or " Pacific Seaboard " are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern DeQuille did not achieve the financial independence he had anticipated and would continue in his position at the Enterprise for another seventeen years.
At the beginning of the 1880s the major silver mining operations at the Comstock Lode were coming to an end and the population of Virginia City was rapidly declining. The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt DeQuille remained a prolific writer, however, providing articles for publication on both coasts, contributing a portion to Myron Angel's History of Nevada (Thompson & West, 1881), and writing the article on Nevada for the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica in 1884. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc
In 1893 the Enterprise ended publication. Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common DeQuille remained in Virginia City for a few more years working as a correspondent for a newspaper in Utah and as a contributor to publications on both coasts. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. In the late 1890s he returned in poor health to West Liberty, Iowa where he resided with his daughter until his death on 16 March 1898. West Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
Legacy
As a journalist and author Dan DeQuille contributed significantly to Americans' understanding of the events in Nevada and the procurement of vast fortunes from the Comstock Lode in the late 19th century. A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends An author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar As a humorist he also made a significant contribution the lore of the Wild West. A humorist is a person who writes or performs humorous material During Virginia City's heyday, DeQuille was one of the most widely-read journalists on the Pacific Coast because of his wit coupled with his ability to explain in non-technical terms the significance of events on the Comstock Lode. A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends The " West Coast " " Western Seaboard " or " Pacific Seaboard " are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States The Comstock Lode was the first major US deposit of Silver Ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt
The style of humor that flourished in the in United States during the latter half of the 19th century was shared by DeQuille, Artemus Ward, Orpheus C. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the See also Artemas Ward (disambiguation Charles Farrar Browne, ( April 23, 1834 - March 6, 1867) was a Ker, Petroleum V. Nasby, Captain Jack Downing, and most notably Mark Twain. David Ross Locke (also known by his Pseudonym Petroleum V Nasby) ( September 20, 1833 &ndash February 15, 1888) was Jack G Downing (born 1941? was Deputy Director for Operations (DDO for the Central Intelligence Agency from 1997 until July 1999 Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist It has since been theorized that America's hunger for this type of humor sprang from a sort of national psychic need from the aftermath of the American Civil War, the grief over the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and the hardships of industrial pioneering in the West. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal
Historical interest in Virginia City's past has continued throughout the 20th century. The town has become a popular tourist attraction with one of its features being the building which housed the Enterprise and on display therein the desk once used by DeQuille, Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and other frontier journalists. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist
In 1946 publishing house Alfred A. Knopf announced that in conjunction with the upcoming California centenary, it would reprint a series of five books that were historically significant in portraying the early days of California statehood, but which were difficult to find. Alfred A Knopf Inc is a New York publishing house founded by Alfred A California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The first book on their list was DeQuille's History of the Big Bonanza. Editor Oscar Lewis wrote a biography of DeQuille as the "Introduction" to The Big Bonanza, published in 1947. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
More recently DeQuille was represented in an anthology of Western Americana entitled Comstock Bonanza, collected and edited by Duncan Emrich and published by Vanguard in 1950. English professor Lawrence I. Berkove collected the best of DeQuille's works and published them in 1990 as The Fighting Horse of the Stanislaus: Stories and Essays (University of Iowa Press).
In 2005, DeQuille's The Big Bonanza was used as the basis for a new American opera entitled The Big Bonanza, with music by Monica Houghton and libretto by Jon Christensen.
Published Works
- History of the Big Bonanza with an introduction by Mark Twain (Hartford, American Publishing Company, 1876)
- The Big Bonanza with an introduction by Oscar Lewis (New York, Alfred A. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Knopf, 1947)
- The Fighting Horse of the Stanislaus: Stories and essays, edited by Lawrence I. Berkove (Iowa City, University of Iowa Press, 1990)
References
- "Books Published Today", New York Times, New York, New York, November 9, 1950, p. 30, as retrieved from ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The New York Times (1851-2003), ProQuest Document ID 88420772.
- De Quille, Dan. Manuscript papers (NC55). Special Collections & Archives Dept. , University of Nevada, Reno Libraries.
- Hillerman, Tony, "The Fighting Horse of Sanislaus: Stories and Essays, by Dan De Quille", New York Times Book Review, New York, New York, September 23, 1990, p. BR33, as retrieved from ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The New York Times (1851-2003), ProQuest Document ID 115662287.
- Lewis, Oscar (1947), "Introduction" in Dan De Quille (Oscar Lewis, ed. ), The Big Bonanza, Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
- Lillard, Richard G. , "Life Along the Comstock Lode", New York Times Book Review, New York, New York, March 23, 1947, p. BR6, as retrieved from ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The New York Times (1851-2003), ProQuest Document ID 87722710.
- Nevada Writers Hall of Fame
- "Topics of the Week: Changing Humor", New York Times, New York, New York, March 21, 1920, p. X3, as retrieved from ProQuest Historical Newspapers, The New York Times (1851-2003), ProQuest Document ID 118313032.
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