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George Ward Nichols

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Ward Nichols
Wild Bill and George Nichols
Wild Bill and George Nichols
Born(1831-06-21)June 21, 1831
Tremont, Maine
DiedSeptember 15, 1885(1885-09-15) (aged 54)
Cincinnati
Occupationjournalist
NationalityAmerican

George Ward Nichols (June 21, 1831 - September 15, 1885) was an American journalist known as the creator of the legend of Wild Bill Hickok.[1]

Biography

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Nichols was born on June 21, 1831, in Tremont, Maine. During American Civil War he served under General John C. Fremont and General William Sherman. He wrote The Story of the Great March (1865). The book was translated on several languages.[2]

In September 1865 Nichols arrived in Springfield, Missouri, where he met James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok. The article Wild Bill by Nichols appeared in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine in February 1867. The publication immortalized Wild Bill.[3][4] Kansas newspapers criticized Nichols for exaggerated exploits of the gunfighter.[5]

Later Nichols moved to Cincinnati, where he became president of the Cincinnati College of Music.[6] From 1868 until his death he was married to Maria Longworth Nichols Storer The couple had two children: Joseph and Margaret, wife of French politician Pierre de Chambrun.[7] Nichols died from tuberculosis[8] on September 15, 1885.

Works

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References

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  1. ^ Rosa, 2012, p. 83.
  2. ^ Rosa, 1977, p. 143.
  3. ^ Rosa, 1977, p. 135.
  4. ^ Thrapp, p. 1054.
  5. ^ Rosa, 2012, p. 83.
  6. ^ Rosa, 1977, p. 143.
  7. ^ Maria Longworth Nichols Storer Archived 2014-07-29 at the Wayback Machine at Theodore Roosevelt Center.
  8. ^ Rosa, 1977, p. 143.

Bibliography

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