The Dime Novel Author ~ D. K. Deters

I recently read a bit of history about Prentiss Ingraham (1843–1904). He was a dime novel author and is best remembered for his novels about William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Ingraham claimed to have written more than 600 novels during his 34-year career. Clearly, this author was no slacker—and he had my attention. I had to find out more.

The Mississippi Encyclopedia notes:

“Ingraham was attending Mobile Medical College when the Civil War began but he left to enter the Confederate Army in Withers’s Mississippi Regiment of Light Artillery. He later transferred to Ross’s Texas Cavalry Brigade, rising to the rank of commander of scouts. He was wounded in the foot while fighting at the siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, and the injury troubled him for the rest of his life. He was taken prisoner but escaped. He received a second wound while fighting at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.”

Afterward, his adventures took him to Mexico, Austria, Egypt, and London.

It's also interesting to note that “Ingraham eventually joined rebels fighting against Spain in Cuba, becoming a colonel in the Cuban rebel army as well as a captain in the navy. Captured by the Spanish while trying to smuggle arms into Cuba, Ingraham later escaped and thereafter always used the title colonel.”

In the 1870s, he began writing dime novels for the New York publisher Beadle & Adams. He based many of those novels on his own adventures. Ingraham was writing adventure fiction when he met Buffalo Bill. Cody was already a national celebrity and known for his “Buffalo Bill Combination” stage show. Ingraham traveled with Cody and sometimes acted as a press agent for the show. His experience helped him to take over the Buffalo Bill series of dime novels. He went on to write over 200 Buffalo Bill stories.

I was amazed at the pseudonyms Ingraham used. Wikipedia shows: “…Dr. Noel Dunbar, Dangerfield Burr, Major Henry B. Stoddard, Colonel Leon Lafitte, Frank Powell, Harry Dennies Perry, Midshipman Tom W. Hall, Lieut. Preston Graham. He also ghostwrote several works for Buffalo Bill Cody.”

While many readers loved Ingraham’s stories, some critics were less complimentary. The University of Mississippi Libraries’ Ingraham Exhibition states:

“While Ingraham’s novels were essentially hackwork written quickly and produced cheaply, they did attract a substantial popular audience. … Ingraham is credited with popularizing the cowboy hero and in shaping America’s popular perception of the Western frontier.”

Curious, I decided to read one of the stories myself. It’s easy to see why his stories influenced the Westerns of today. If you’re also intrigued and would like to explore some of these remarkable stories firsthand, Project Gutenberg offers 17 free eBooks by Prentiss Ingraham, including several popular Buffalo Bill stories. You can explore titles like Seventy Years on the Frontier, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Bugler; Or, The Last of the Indian Ring, and Buffalo Bill’s Weird Warning; Or, Dauntless Dell’s Rival. Enjoy.

Resources:

All photos are from the Public Domain.

The Settlers’ West by Martin F Schmitt & Dee Brown

University of Mississippi Libraries - Ingraham Exhibition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prentiss_Ingraham

https://www.gutenberg.org/

https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/prentiss-ingraham/

Outlaw Henry Newton Brown ~ D. K. Deters

I was rummaging through some western historical books recently and came across an interesting story about the infamous outlaw Henry Newton Brown. This part of his history begins in Caldwell, Kansas. Growing up in Kansas, the story immediately drew my attention.

Geographically, the town of Caldwell was known as the “Border Queen” because its southern boundary is on the Kansas-Oklahoma border. Located fifty miles south of Wichita, Caldwell was also a stop on the famous Chisholm Trail.

Caldwell, Kansas 1889 (Public Domain)

In 1880, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad reached Caldwell, sparking a boom for commercial establishments. Saloons lined Caldwell’s main streets with hosts of businesses as the town continued to expand. Unfortunately, Caldwell had earned a reputation as a disorderly town.

Gunfights plagued Caldwell:

1880 - A city marshal and an assistant marshal were murdered.

1881 - The mayor and a former marshal were killed in a street fight.

1882 - Another city marshal was gunned down.

As the town fell rife with lawlessness, enter notorious outlaw Henry Newton Brown, who was involved in the Lincoln County War in New Mexico. He had joined up with Billy the Kid and the “Lincoln County Regulators.” On April 1, 1878, Brown, Billy the Kid, and other desperados murdered Lincoln County Sheriff William Brady. Brown left New Mexico to avoid murder charges. After leaving the gang, he found legitimate work as a cowboy and even became a deputy sheriff, but those jobs didn’t last because he had a temper and was quickly dismissed.

 

Henry Newton Brown  - 1857-1884 (Public Domain)

However, by 1882, Brown had made his way to Kansas, and Caldwell officials welcomed him as an assistant city marshal. He was later promoted to marshal. The gunfighter quickly cleaned up the bustling border town. Afterward, the grateful citizens raised his pay to $125 per month and awarded him with an engraved Winchester for restoring law and order.  The inscription read: "Presented to City Marshal H. N. Brown For valuable services rendered in behalf of the Citizens of Caldwell Kas A. N. Colson Mayor Dec 1882.” Area papers wrote glowing articles about his deeds. Of course, they didn’t know about Brown’s outlaw past.

(Public Domain)

Brown seemed to have abandoned his life of crime and married Alice Maude Levagood, the daughter of a well-to-do Caldwell brick maker, in March 1884. A woman of good standing, Alice had graduated from Park College, Parkville, Missouri, with the class of 1882.

 

Alice Maude Levagood  - 1861-1935 (Public Domain)

On April 30th, 1884, the marshal, in debt and living beyond his means, returned to his outlaw roots. Joined by his deputy and two outlaw friends, they robbed a bank in Medicine Lodge using the rifle the citizens of Caldwell had given to him. Two people were killed, and his gang was captured. Brown was shot the same day, trying to escape. His gang members were lynched.

 

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Bank robbers John Wesley, Henry Brown, William Smith and Ben Wheeler. 

(Public Domain)

He did write a letter to his wife which read in part: "Darling Wife: I am in jail here. Four of us tried to rob the bank here and one man shot one of the men in the bank. I want you to come and see me as soon as you can. I will send you all of my things and you can sell them. But keep the Winchester. It is hard for me to write this letter, but it was all for you, my sweet wife, and for the love I have for you. "Do not go back on me. If you do it will kill me. Be true to me as long as you live, and come to see me if you think enough of me. My love is just the same as it always was. Oh, how I did hate to leave you last Sunday evening. But I did not think this would happen. I thought we could take in the money and not have any trouble with it, but a man's fondest hopes are sometimes broken with trouble. We would not have been arrested but one of our horses gave out and we could not leave him [the rider] alone. I do not know what to write. Do the best you can with everything. I want you to send me some clothes. Sell all the things you don't need. Have your picture taken and send it to me. Now, my dear wife, go and see Mr. Witzleben and Mr. Nyce and get the money. If a mob does not kill us we will come out all right after while. Maude, I did not shoot anyone and didn't want the others to kill anyone. But they did and that is all there is about it. Now, my darling wife, goodbye. H. N. Brown."

Did Maude still love him? That is unclear, but she never remarried. Maude didn’t keep the rifle, and it became the property of the Robert R. Foster family. The Fosters later sold the gun to Dr. M. B. Aynesworth around October 1976. A short time later, in 1977, Dr. Aynesworth donated the rifle to the Kansas Historical Museum in Topeka, Kansas. (The museum is on my bucket list.)

I found several articles about Henry Newton Brown. All of them are fascinating. Although nefarious acts marked Brown’s life, he was the essence of the Old West figures who changed from outlaw to peacekeeper and back again.

 

Resources:

Truewest Magazine, Lawdogs Go South Henry Newton Brown’s Gang vs Medicine Lodge Cowboys by Bob Boze Bell 

The Wild West, Lawmen, Outlaws, Ghost Towns & More by Bill O’Neal, James A. Crutchfield, and Dale L. Walker

Legends of America, Henry Newton Brown – Outlaw Marshal of Kansas

Wikipedia, Henry Newton Brown

What is a Reticule? ~ D. K. Deters

In my new work in process (WIP), the main character carries a reticule when she goes to town. While I’m aware what a reticule is, I wanted to understand its origin because, as we all know, a handbag can tell you a lot about the lady who carries it. I conducted a little research and found several interesting articles.       

First, a reticule is an 18th or 19th century handbag used by women. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary: Reticule "a lady's small handbag," originally of network, later usually of any woven material, from French réticule (18c.) "a net for the hair, a reticule," from Latin reticulum "a little net, network bag.”

As women’s fashion evolved in the late 18th century, the shift from large, layered skirts gave way to a form-fitting silhouette. Women needed a place to store their possessions that wouldn’t cause their clothes to bulge. The reticule emerged as a practical solution and functioned perfectly as an exterior pocket.

              

According to the 1831 American Girl’s Book: or Occupation for Play Hours, the bag has many styles: circular, basket, three-sided, pocket book, plaited, pointed, halbert-shaped, dimity, and braided.

The sizes vary, but they are typically small, measuring between four and eight inches in width and height. You’ll find reticules made from a variety of materials, such as satin, silk, cotton, linen, velvet, leather, and tapestry. Many embellishments feature embroidery, beading, tassels, and even tortoise shells.

             

These 19^th century design examples show the classic drawstring closure.  The bags, though small and dainty, held an assortment of items a woman might need. Those items included: coins, hairpins, jewelry, a pocket watch, and even smelling salts. If you’re wondering where ladies kept their belongings before bags became popular, they tied pockets around their waists under their dresses. But I digress.

                   

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s (The Met), “men critics ridiculed the reticule, claiming that women would overstuff the bags…” Of course, the reticules of yesteryear are nothing compared to the options available now. I think the men back then would have to see the bags today to understand the concept of overstuff. Don’t you?