An interesting fashion in American history of humor is the use of pen names (nom de plume, if you want to get frenchy about it) during the late 1800's. Many of the names are, well, unique.
The most famous example? Probably Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain. Samuel worked on riverboats as a young man and took a riverboat term as his writing handle. The fluctuating depth of water was always a concern to the rivermen. They checked the depth by tossing lead-weighted lines overboard, and would then inform the captain or pilot of the depth by shouting specifics up to the wheelhouse. One of those descriptive terms was ‘Mark Twain’, meaning ‘two fathoms’, which was considered a safe depth.
Here are more examples of pen names:
Real Name
Pen Name
Charles Heber Clark
Max Adeler (sometimes Adler)
Charles B. Lewis
M. Quad
Henry Wheeler Shaw
Josh Billings
Melville Landon
Eli Perkins
A. Miner Griswold
The Fat Contributor
Edgar Wilson Nye
Bill Nye
Charles Farrar Brown
Artemus Ward
Benjamin Penhallow Shillaber
Mrs. Ruth Partington
George Alfred Townsend
Gath
George William Bagby
Mozis Addams
James Montgomery Bailey
The Dansbury Newsman
Seba Smith
Major Jack Downing
David Ross Locke
Petroleum V. Nasby
Robert H. Newell
Orpheus C. Kerr
Robert J. Burdette
The Hawkeye Man
Major Charles H. Smith
Bill Arp
George William Curtis
Howadjii
Donald Grandt Mitchell
Ik Marvel
William H. Thackeray
James Yellowplush
Charles H. Webb
John Paul
Capt. George H. Derby
John Phoenix
Samuel W. Small
Old Si
William A. Croffut
Peleg Wales
Sidney Smith
Peter Plymley
Charles G. Halpin
Miles O'Reilly
H. C. Goodrich
Peter Parley
Col. Judson
Ned Buntline
M. M. Pomeroy
Brick Pomeroy
Marietta Holley
Josiah Allen's Wife
Mortimer M. Thompson
Doesticks
Stanley Huntley
Spoopendyke
Joel Chandler Harris
Uncle Remus
James Russell Lowell
Hosea Bigelow
Sara Payson Willis
Fanny Fern
Robert W. Criswell
Grand Father Lickshingle
Interesting, hmm?
It's great to be American. Always has been. Enjoy!
