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Books in Wisconsin 1848-1905

| Wisconsin Authors | Old Farmer's Almanac |

Wisconsin Authors

Not surprisingly, many of the authors and poets in Wisconsin (especially in the Madison area) have been associated with the University of Wisconsin since its founding in 1848. Many of the works published by Wisconsin authors in this time period are scholarly and literary books, essays, and articles written for the academic world. They wrote on all topics, including History, Archaeology, Geography and Travel, Literature and Language, the Sciences, and Politics.

However, there was no shortage of fiction written by Wisconsin authors during this time. What follows is a selected list of Wisconsin authors (primarily of fiction) and their works from c. 1848-1905. Many more were living during this span and published after 1905. Please see the Sources page for citations of bibliographies which much more completely list Wisconsin authors and their works.

printing presses

Rasmus Bjorn Anderson 1846-1936 (Dane Co.)
* America Not Discovered by Columbus, 1874.
* Norse Mythology, 1875.

William Henry Bishop 1847-1929 (Milwaukee)
Editor of Milwaukee Commercial Times 1867-77.
* House of a Merchant Prince, 1882.
* Golden Justice, 1887.

Bernard Isaac Durward 1817-1902 (Milwaukee and Sauk Co.)
* Wild Flowers of Wisconsin: Poems, 1871.
* Poems, 1882.
* Cristofero Colombo: An American Epic, 1892.

Hamlin Garland 1860-1936? (West Salem) Wisconsin Electric Reader Entry
"Well-known authority on pioneer life, novelist, short story writer, poet, biographer, lecturer, and traveler."
* Main-travelled roads: Six Mississippi Valley Stories, 1891.
* Prairie Folks, 1893.
* Rose of Dutcher's Coolly, 1895.

Gen. Charles King 1844-1933 (Milwaukee)
* Between the Lines: A Story of the War, 1889.
* The Colonel's Daughter, 1892.
* Marion's Faith, 1893.

Increase A. Lapham 1811-1875 (Milwaukee) Wisconsin Electronic Reader Entry
"From 1873 to 1875 he was chief geologist for the state of Wisconsin. His contributions to the scientific knowledge of the geology, topography, and botany of his adopted state are second to none...many results of his labors are to be found in the Milwaukee public library, and the State Historical Library, in the form of maps, statistics, and tabulations of various sorts."
* A Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin, 1844.
* Antiquities of Wisconsin
* Geological Map of Wisconsin, 1855.

Elizabeth Farnsworth Mears (Fond du Lac and Oshkosh) Wisconsin Electronic Reader Entry
"Frequently called the 'first Wisconsin poetess.'"
* Voyage of Pere Marquette, and the Romance of Charles De Langlade, 1860.

George Wilbur Peck 1840-1916 (La Crosse and Milwaukee) Wisconsin Electronic Reader Entry
"One of Wisconsin's leading humorists; connected with newspapers at Whitewater, Jefferson, Ripon, La Crosse, and Milwaukee."
* Adventures of One Terence McGrant, 1871.
* Peck's Bad Boy Series, 1882-1912.
* Peck's Boss Book, 1900.

Marcus Mills Pomeroy 1833-1896 (Horicon, Milwaukee, La Crosse)
"Journeyman printer, newspaper editor and publisher, politician, and humorist...His writings were sensational, a combination of humor and moralizing typical of his day."
* Nonsense: Hits and Criticisms on the Follies of the Day, 1868.
* Sense: Saturday-night Musings and Thoughtful Papers, 1868.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1855-1919 (Madison)
A poetess and journalist.
* Drops of Water, 1872.
* Shells, 1873.
* Maurine and Other Poems, 1882.
* Poems of Passion, 1883.
* Poems of Pleasure, 1888.
* An Erring Woman's Love, 1892.
* The Beautiful Land of Nod, 1892.


The Old Farmer's Almanac

Founded in 1792 with the initial mission ìto be useful, but with a pleasant degree of humor..î It is the oldest continuously published periodical in North America, however it is not available via subscription and is primarily sold through retail outlets such as bookstores and hardware stores. It is printed in book format and published once per year. It includes the forthcoming yearís tide tables, weather predictions, and advice on dates to plant crops. Additionally, it informs readers of new technologies and provides advice on how to improve quality of the farmland and of ways to make home life more comfortable and satisfying.

almanac

Selected contents of 1849 Issue:

Patent Self-acting Cheese Press
Directions for Sacking Wool
Proper Time for Slaughtering Animals
How to Raise Taters

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Authored by: Lori Delaney, Kirstin Dougan, Megan Phillips
Last Updated: April 14, 2000 WI Mosaic Home