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Henry Wikoff

Henry Wikoff (c. 1812 – 28 April 1884), known as theChevalier Wikoff, was an American traveler, writer,impresario and diplomat.

Henry Wikoff

Biography

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Wikoff was born inPhiladelphia, the illegitimate son of a doctor who ownedBlockley Township, Pennsylvania. Despite his birth status, he inherited a sizable fortune, which enabled him to travel extensively in Europe.[1] He graduated fromUnion College in 1831,[2] and then attended theCollege of New Jersey (but did not get a degree). He wasadmitted to the bar in Pennsylvania in 1834.[3]

That same year, Wikoff then went to Europe, where he acted as a diplomatic agent for the United States, Britain, and France at different times,[4] and even spent some time in prison in Italy.[1] Upon returning to America, he was responsible for the successful tour by famous dancerFanny Elssler in 1840.[3] In 1852, after a sensational trial in front of the High Court ofGenoa, he and a conspirator, Frenchman Louis Vannaud, were sentenced to 15 months in prison for attempting to force an heiress, Miss G. C. Gamble, into marriage in order to gain access to her fortune.[5][6] Wikoff became a close friend of First LadyMary Todd Lincoln, which created some scandalous gossip.[4] Likely due to this relationship, Wikoff was involved in leaking portions ofAbraham Lincoln's1861 State of the Union Address to the press, which he possibly obtained from Mary Todd Lincoln.[7][8]

He was friendly with theBonaparte imperial family in France, and was awarded theGrand Cross of theLegion of Honor byNapoleon III, which gave him the title ofChevalier (Knight),[2] and was made Knight Commander of theRoyal Order of Isabella the Catholic, by theKing of Spain in 1871.[1] He acted as an undercover reporter for theNew York Herald, making use of his presence in government circles.[3][4]

Wikoff died 28 April 1884 inBrighton,Sussex, England, age 72 or 74.[9][3][10]

Works

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  • Napoleon Louis Bonaparte, First President of France; Biographical and Personal Sketches, Including a Visit to the Prince at the Castle of Ham. New York: George P. Putnam, 1849
  • My Courtship and its Consequences. New York: J. C. Derby, 1855
  • The Adventures of a Roving Diplomatist. New York: W. P. Fetridge, 1857
  • Memoir of Ginevra Guerrabella. New York: T.J. Crowan, 1863
  • Reminiscences of an Idler. New York: Fords, Howard & Hulbert, 1880

References

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  1. ^abcCrain, Caleb. "The Courtship of Henry Wikoff,"American Literary History 18.4 (2006): pp. 659-94
  2. ^abAppletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889
  3. ^abcd"Princeton University's Henry Wikoff Collection - 1836–1884". Archived fromthe original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved2022-04-03.
  4. ^abc"The Lincoln Institute website". Archived fromthe original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved2011-07-27.
  5. ^"Foreign Gleanings".The Examiner. 21 February 1852. p. 120. Retrieved5 April 2018.
  6. ^"Postscript - Italy".Evening Mail. 20 February 1852. p. 8.
  7. ^Powell, J. Mark (June 12, 2017)."Like Trump, Abraham Lincoln also had a problem with leaks in his administration".Washington Examiner. RetrievedMarch 15, 2024.
  8. ^Solomon, Burt (January 19, 2015)."When Lincoln's State of the Union Leaked".The Atlantic. RetrievedMarch 15, 2024.
  9. ^England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
  10. ^"Deaths".The Times. 1 May 1884. p. 1.

External links

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