William Wright

Background

William Wright was born on May 9, 1829, in Knox County, Ohio, to Paxson Wright and Lucinda Markley, farmers. One of his forefathers, Anthony Wright, having emigrated to America with William Penn. Later, this same ancestor established Wright Colony, in Virginia. On his mother's side he came of Irish stock and was a descendant of Captain Morrison, a commander in the British navy, who resigned his commission to fight with the colonies in the War of Independence.

Education

Wright probably received the usual education offered by backwoods schools.

Career

At the age of eighteen young Wright went to Iowa and there began to write for the papers and for Graham's Magazine, a Philadelphia publication. Going West as a lone prospector in 1857, he traveled through the Sierra Nevadas for the next few years, his only literary outlet being the newspapers, to which he sent occasional items and humorous sketches. These were signed Dan De Quille, and by that name he was thereafter generally known. In 1861 he became city editor of the Daily Territorial Enterprise, published in Virginia City, Nev. , a position which he held for practically the remainder of his life. His first leave, taken in 1862, was the occasion for the editor of the Enterprise to bring another prospector and teller of tall tales "out of the brush. " This substitute was Mark Twain. He remained on the paper after Dan De Quille had returned and the two men became lifelong friends. Twain encouraged De Quille to publish his book, History of the Big Bonanza (1877), and wrote an introduction. The final preparation of the manuscript was done in his home. The book is an odd and interesting combination of anecdotes, experiences, character studies, historical facts, and technical information on mining. It has been used as a reference by Hubert H. Bancroft and by historians of Nevada generally. The author's command of mining-town vernacular and psychology makes delightful reading. Behind the humor is a touch of pathos, and it is possible to sense the courageous yet retiring personality of the writer. Among his contemporaries, De Quille had a reputation for truthfulness and accuracy. His mining news was trustworthy and was followed by all interested in the business. When, in a humorous mood, he sometimes spun fanciful stories of impossible discoveries or inventions they were often treated seriously. His hoaxes are said to have deceived, not only engineers and scientists, but that king of all hoaxers, Phineas T. Barnum. The circus magnate once offered ten thousand dollars for a certain "wonder" which Dan De Quille had described. When in his latter years the journalist saw his city dwindle to a "ghost town, " and the paper on which he had served so long cease publication, he was left without resources. He tried to support himself by the sale of various articles, but his health was becoming increasingly poor. John W. Mackay, millionaire, who had made his fortune in the Comstock mines, learned of the condition of his old friend and immediately made arrangements that De Quille should be taken to any place he might wish to go and provided an allowance to continue for the rest of his days. Grateful and relieved, the sick man accepted the offer. He went to join his daughter in West Liberty, Iowa, and he remained there until his death on March 16, 1898.

Achievements

A prolific and versatile storyteller and journalist, William Wright 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 History of the Big Bonanza. In 1994, William Wright was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.