Dan DeQuille (William Wright)

William Wright (1829-1898), better known by the pen name Dan DeQuille or Dan De Quille, was an American author, journalist, and humorist. 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). 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. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... An author is the person who creates a written work, such as a book, story, article or the like. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... A humorist is an author who specializes in short, humorous articles or essays. ... Miner working in the Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is the richest known U.S. deposit of silver ore discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Non-fiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as fact. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ...

Early life

William Wright was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1829, the oldest of nine children. In 1849 he moved west with his family to West Liberty, Iowa, where in 1853 he married Caroline Coleman. Their union produced five children, two of which died in infancy. Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio. ... West Liberty is a city located in Muscatine County, Iowa. ...

In 1857, leaving his family behind, he traveled to California in search of gold. 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. 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. He was hired in 1862 and soon adopted the pen name Dan DeQuille. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of California. ... Mono Lake is an alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is one of the most productive ecosystems in North America[citation needed]. // Satellite photo of Mono Lake Mono Craters to the right of the image are rhyolitic... The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range that is almost entirely in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of California. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Motto: Proud of its Past. ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ...

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. While prospecting for gold in California he wrote articles on prospector mining that were published in California newspapers. 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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Nickname: The City by the Bay; Fog City Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates: Country United States of America State California City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Area    - City 122 km²  (47 sq mi)  - Land 121. ... ...

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. Clemens adopted the pen name Mark Twain. 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. Twain would later describe this period in his book Roughing It. 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),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Roughing It is a semi-non-fiction work written by American author Mark Twain. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Nickname: The City by the Bay; Fog City Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates: Country United States of America State California City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Area    - City 122 km²  (47 sq mi)  - Land 121. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ...

In 1874 mine operators John W. Mackay, James G. Fair, Sen. John P. Jones, and William Ralston decided that a book should be written about the history of the Comstock. 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. John William Mackay (1831-1902) was an American capitalist, born in Dublin, Ireland on 28 November 1831. ... James Graham Fair (December 3, 1831–December 28, 1894) was a United States Senator and financier. ... John Percival Jones (January 27, 1829 November 12, 1912) was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican United States Senator from Nevada. ... William Billy Chapman Ralston (1826-1875), was a San Francisco, California businessman and financier, and was the founder of the Bank of California. ... Miner working in the Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is the richest known U.S. deposit of silver ore discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. ...

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. 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. 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),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

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. 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. In October a fire destroyed much of the city and his account of this tragedy would become the last chapter of his book. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Paiute (sometimes written as Piute) refers to two related groups -- Northern Paiute and Southern Paiute--of Native North Americans speaking languages belonging to the Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan family of Native American languages. ... Native Americans are the indigenous peoples within the territory that is now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska down to their descendants in modern times. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ...

A History of the Big Bonanza was published by the American Publishing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, 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 City and sold well on the Pacific Coast, but sales in the East 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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ...

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. 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. Miner working in the Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is the richest known U.S. deposit of silver ore discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general encyclopedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. ...

In 1893 the Enterprise ended publication. 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. 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. 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... West Liberty is a city located in Muscatine County, Iowa. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in leap years). ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

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. As a humorist he also made a significant contribution the lore of the Wild West. 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. This does not cite its references or sources. ... An author is the person who creates a written work, such as a book, story, article or the like. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Miner working in the Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is the richest known U.S. deposit of silver ore discovered under what is now Virginia City, Nevada on the eastern slope of Mt. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A humorist is an author who specializes in short, humorous articles or essays. ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West. ... View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Miner working in the Comstock Lode The Comstock Lode is the richest known U.S. 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. Ker, Petroleum V. Nasby, Captain Jack Downing, and most notably Mark Twain. 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. Charles Farrar Browne, (April 23, 1834 _ March 6, 1867) was a United States humorous writer, best known under his nom de plume of Artemus Ward. ... David Ross Locke (his pseudonym was Petroleum V. Nasby) (1833 - 1888) was a U.S. journalist. ... Seba Smith (September 14, 1792 - July 28, 1868) was an American humorist and writer. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was an American politician who served as the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West. ...

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. View of Virginia City, Nevada, from a nearby hillside, 1867-68 Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada. ... Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ...

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. 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. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 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. Knopf, 1947)
• The Fighting Horse of the Stanislaus: Stories and essays, edited by Lawrence I. Berkove (Iowa City, University of Iowa Press, 1990)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ...

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.
• 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.
• "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.