Individuals >> Du Solle, John Stephenson Colonel (1810-1876)

Journalist.

John S. Du Solle edited the Philadelphia paper Spirit of the Times and was a friend of Edgar Allen Poe. He was later a writer for the Sunday Times and part of the “fraternity” that met at Pfaff’s restaurant. This group “had late suppers, and were brilliant with talk over beer and pipes for several years” (J. Browne 156-57). At one point in his life, Du Solle also worked as the private secretary of P. T. Barnum (Oberholtzer 253).

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References & Biographical Resources

Browne, Junius Henri. The Great Metropolis; A Mirror of New York. Hartford: American Publishing, 1869. 700 p. [more about this work]

A member of the staff of the Sunday Times. He was part of the "fraternity" that met at Pfaff's resturant, that "had late suppers, and were brilliant with talk over beer and pipes for several years." Browne claims "Those were merry and famous nights, and many bright conceits and witticisms were discharged over the festive board" (156-7). [pages: 156-157]

Haynes, John Edward. Pseudonyms of Authors: Including Anonyms and Initialisms. New York, 1882. [more about this work]

This text identifies the following pseudonym: Knickerbocker (53). [pages: 53]

Leland, Charles Godfrey. Memoirs. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1893. [more about this work]

Leland recalls spending time as a youth with Du Solle, while both were living in Congress Hall, a hotel in Philadelphia. He states that Edgar Allen Poe was often in Du Solle's office and at Congress Hall. He also mentions that Du Solle later served as P. T. Barnum's secretary. [pages: 100-101]

Lukens, Henry Clay. "American Literary Comedians." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Apr. 1890: 783-797. [more about this work]

[pages: 793]

Oberholtzer, Ellis Paxson. The Literary History of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: G. W. Jacobs, 1906. [more about this work]

Described as the eventual private secretary of P. T. Barnum. [pages: 253]

Sentilles, Renee M. Performing Menken: Adah Isaacs Menken and the Birth of American Celebrity. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2003. [more about this work]

A regular in the bohemian circle at Pfaff's. [pages: 142]