William Wright (1829–1898), better known by the
pen nameA pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Dan DeQuille or
Dan De Quille, was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
,
journalistA journalist is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for viewpoints that are not biased.Reporters are one type of journalist...
, and humorist. He was best known for his written accounts of the people, events, and silver mining operations on the
Comstock LodeThe Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
at
Virginia City, NevadaVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, including his
non-fictionNonfiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as fact. This presentation may be accurate or not; that is, it can give either a true or a false account of the subject in question. However, it is generally assumed that the authors of such accounts believe them to be...
book
A History of the Big Bonanza (American Publishing Company, 1876). 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 TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
, and of a type very popular in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at that time. He was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 1994.
Early life
William Wright was born in
Knox County, OhioKnox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2000, the population was 54,500. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
, in 1829, the oldest of nine children. In 1849 he moved west with his family to
West Liberty, IowaWest Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,332 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, where in 1853 he married Caroline Coleman. Their union produced five children, two of which died in infancy.
In 1857, leaving his family behind, he traveled to
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in search of gold. While living as a nomadic prospector in the Sierra foothills and
Mono LakeMono Lake is an alkaline and hypersaline lake in Mono County, California. It has an unusually productive ecosystem, and is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species.-Geology:...
region, he heard of the discovery of silver on the other side of the Sierras and ventured to
Virginia City, NevadaVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
in 1859. With no success at prospecting there and in need of funds to send his wife and children in
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
, Wright applied for regular employment in
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
at the
(Territorial) Enterprise, a newspaper that had recently relocated there from
Carson City, NevadaThe Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the State of Nevada. The population was 52,457 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. He was hired in 1862 and soon adopted the
pen nameA pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Dan DeQuille.
Writing career
William Wright was interested as a young adult in a career as a writer. After his move to
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of...
he wrote and submitted manuscripts to popular magazines in the
East CoastThe 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 United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada...
. While prospecting for gold in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
he wrote articles on prospector mining that were published in
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
newspapers. Long letters to his family helped to develop his skills at humorous exaggeration and detailed description. Following his move to
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, he wrote articles that were printed in San Francisco's
The Golden Era.
Soon after he became known as Dan DeQuille at the
Enterprise, another unsuccessful miner named
Sam ClemensSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
was hired to work under him in August 1863. Clemens adopted the
pen nameA pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Mark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
. The two of them reported on local events and wrote columns for the newspaper. Under DeQuille's editorial supervision,
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
established his reputation as a humorous writer.
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
would later describe this period in his book
Roughing ItRoughing It is a book of semi-autobiographical travel literature written by American humorist Mark Twain. It was written during 1870–71 and published in 1872 as a prequel to his first book Innocents Abroad...
.
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
left
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
in May 1864 and after brief stays in
San FranciscoSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
and
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
he toured as a lecturer, which brought him back for visits to
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and DeQuille in 1866 and 1868.
In 1874 mine operators
John W. MackayJohn William Mackay was an American capitalist, born in Dublin, Ireland.-Biography:His parents brought him in 1840 to New York City, where he worked in a shipyard. In 1851 he went to California and worked in placer gold-mines in Sierra County...
,
James G. FairJames Graham Fair was the overnight millionaire part-owner of the Comstock Lode, a United States Senator and a colorful real estate and railroad speculator.-Biography:...
, Sen.
John P. JonesJohn Percival Jones was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican United States Senator from Nevada. He made a fortune in silver mining and was a co-founder of the town of Santa Monica, California....
, and William Ralston decided that a book should be written about the history of the
ComstockThe Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
. 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 TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
, then residing in
Hartford, ConnecticutHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
, to seek his advise on having the book published. Concurrently
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
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. In response to DeQuille's letter,
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
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
HartfordHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
where they could each work on their respective projects in close proximity and mutual support.
Under
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
'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
NevadaNevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...
events and individuals, including the Northern Paiute group of
Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States is the phrase that describes indigenous peoples from North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of...
living in the vicinity. DeQuille and Twain believed the book would have wide appeal and sell well.
TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
helped DeQuille negotiate a favorable contract with his own publisher and DeQuille returned to
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
late that summer. 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, ConnecticutHartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population of 124,512 ranks Hartford as the state's second-largest city, after Bridgeport. New...
, in 1876. 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 CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and sold well on the
Pacific CoastThe "West Coast", "Western Seaboard", or "Pacific Coastline" are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. It most often comprises California, Oregon and Washington...
, but sales in the
EastThe 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 United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada...
were disappointing. 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 LodeThe Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
were coming to an end and the population of
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
was rapidly declining. 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
NevadaNevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...
for the 10th edition of the
Encyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., a privately held company. The articles in the Britannica are aimed at educated adult readers, and written by a staff of about 100 full-time editors and more than...
in 1884.
In 1893 the
Enterprise ended publication. DeQuille remained in
Virginia CityVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
for a few more years working as a correspondent for a newspaper in
UtahUtah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80 percent of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering around Salt Lake City. In contrast, vast expanses of the state are nearly uninhabited, making...
and as a contributor to publications on both coasts. In the late 1890s he returned in poor health to
West Liberty, IowaWest Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,332 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....
where he resided with his daughter until his death on 16 March 1898.
Legacy
As a
journalistA journalist is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for viewpoints that are not biased.Reporters are one type of journalist...
and
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
Dan DeQuille contributed significantly to
Americans'The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
understanding of the events in
NevadaNevada is a state located in the western region of the United States. The capital is Carson City and the largest city is Las Vegas. The state's nickname is Silver State, due to the large number of silver deposits that were discovered and mined there...
and the procurement of vast fortunes from the
Comstock LodeThe Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
in the late 19th century. As a humorist he also made a significant contribution the lore of the
Wild WestThe American Old West comprises the history, geography, peoples, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the period of the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
. During
Virginia City'sVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
heyday, DeQuille was one of the most widely-read
journalistA journalist is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for viewpoints that are not biased.Reporters are one type of journalist...
s on the
Pacific CoastThe "West Coast", "Western Seaboard", or "Pacific Coastline" are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. It most often comprises California, Oregon and Washington...
because of his wit coupled with his ability to explain in non-technical terms the significance of events on the
Comstock LodeThe Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. deposit of silver ore, discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. Davidson, a peak in the Virginia range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
.
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. Ker, Petroleum V. Nasby, Major Jack Downing, and most notably
Mark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
. 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 WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
, the grief over the assassination of President
Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union and ending slavery...
, and the hardships of industrial pioneering in the
WestThe American Old West comprises the history, geography, peoples, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the period of the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
.
Historical interest in
Virginia City'sVirginia City is an unincorporated community that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
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 TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
, Bret Harte, and other frontier journalists.
In 1946 publishing house
Alfred A. KnopfAlfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
announced that in conjunction with the upcoming
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
centenary, it would reprint a series of five books that were historically significant in portraying the early days of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
statehood, but which were difficult to find. 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.
In 1950 DeQuille was represented in an anthology of Western Americana entitled
Comstock Bonanza, collected and edited by Duncan Emrich and published by Vanguard. More recently Richard A. Dwyer and Richard E. Lingenfelter published
Dan De Quille, The Washoe Giant. A Biography and Anthology, featuring the fullest collection of his journalism and a checklist of all his writings (University of Nevada Press, 1990). 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
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted...
(Hartford, American Publishing Company, 1876)
- The Big Bonanza with an introduction by Oscar Lewis (New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1947)
- Snowshoe Thompson, preface by Carrol D. Hall (Los Angeles, Glen Dawson, 1954)
- Washoe Rambles, edited by Richard E. Lingenfelter (Los Angeles, Westernlore Press, 1963)
- Dan De Quille, The Washoe Giant. A Biography and Anthology, prepared by Richard A. Dwyer and Richard E. Lingenfelter (Reno & Las Vegas, University of Nevada Press, 1990)
- The Fighting Horse of the Stanislaus: Stories and essays, edited by Lawrence I. Berkove (Iowa City, University of Iowa Press, 1990)