William Wright Collection

William Wright (also known as Dan De Quille) was born on May 9, 1829 to Lucinda Markley and Paxon Wright. A journalist, he came to the west coast of the United States from Iowa and Ohio in 1859. Between the years 1859-1862, he and his brother, Hank, moved frequently around the gold mines and cities of northern California, the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and western Nevada Territory. While traveling he began submitting articles to eastern and western newspapers under the name Dan De Quille. These articles were filled with stories of the people, places, and adventures encountered in the west. He was a popular writer and soon was published weekly in a number of papers.

In 1862, Wright went to work for Joseph T. Goodman, owner of the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, Nevada. By that time he'd become widely known, well liked, and respected for his craft. He worked for the Enterprise off and on as a reporter and columnist for thirty years.

Wright was a good friend and colleague of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Nevada newsman Alf Doten. The latter was also his drinking partner and recorded faithfully in his journals Dan's problems with alcohol abuse. In between his drinking bouts, De Quille produced a prodigious number of articles, stories, novels, travelogues, and other works, the best known of which was The Big Bonanza, a book about the largest silver vein in the Comstock Lode of Virginia City.

Wright married Caroline E Coleman in Jackson, Iowa on October 27, 1852. They had three daughters and one son: Alice Wright (1854-deceased), Mary L. Wright Evans (1855–1906), Lura Gertrude Wright (1856–deceased), and Paxson George Wright (1861–1929).

Wright died in Iowa on March 16, 1898.

[Biographical information taken from Dan De Quille Papers, NC55. Additional information added from records at FamilySearch.org]