Scope and arrangement
Arrangement
Five series: I. Correspondence; II. Writings; III. Wild Bill Hickok Related Material; IV. Dictionary of Similes Related Material; V. John A. Wilstach Notebooks and Scrapbook
Frank Jenners Wilstach papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
Frank Jenners Wilstach (1865-1933) was an American theatrical business manager, press agent, author, and compiler of A Dictionary of Similes. In addition to the dictionary, which was first published in 1916, he wrote a book and articles about Wild Bill Hickok. Collection consists of correspondence, writings and other papers of Frank J. Wilstach and his father, John A. Wilstach. General correspondence, 1873-1933, concerns business matters and research on Wild Bill Hickok. Family correspondence, 1772-1933, contains genealogical information and letters of related families. Writings include articles, plays, poems, biographical sketches, notes, clippings, and some correspondence about particular writings. Wild Bill Hickok materials consist of manuscript and printers copy of Wilstach's book plus photostats and clippings used in his research and clippings of reviews. Bulk of the collection is materials, 1915-1932, he gathered for A Dictionary of Similes and includes original typescript, notes, correspondence, and clippings and other printed matter. Also, John A. Wilstach's scrapbook and notebooks on literature, law and miscellaneous subjects.
Frank J. Wilstach, theater business manager, press agent, author and compiler of the "Dictionary of Similes", was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1864 and died in 1933. He was the son of John Augustine and Elbra Cecilia and had three brothers, two of whom, Paul and Claxton, had also been prominent in theatrical circles.
Before engaging in the theatrical business Wilstach was connected with newspapers in his home town, San Francisco and New York. He began to compile the "Dictionary of Similes" in Boston, 1894, when he was editor of the Syndicate Press. Throughout the next twenty-two years, in the midst of his literary and theatrical duties, Wilstach collected material. The dictionary was published on November 11, 1916, but he continued to gather material for many years and other editions followed.
In 1895 Wilstach became a press agent and among the people whose publicity he handled were: De Wolf Hopper, Viola Allen, Mrs. Leslie Carter and William Faversham.
Wilstach was the author of many articles, most of which were about Wild Bill Hickok, and a book entitled "Wild Bill Hickok, the Prince of Pistoleers". For several years he wrote special stories for the Sells Brothers in Forepaugh's Circus.
Frank married Edith May Hudnall on July 11, 1889 and had two children: John and Florence. The papers of theatrical manager Frank J. Wilstach are divided In five series: correspondence, writings, "Wild" Bill Hickok related material, "Dictionary of Similes" related material and John A. Wilstach notebooks and scrapbook.
The correspondence is sub-divided in two sections: general correspondence and family correspondence. The general correspondence, 1873 - 1933, (incoming/ outgoing) is in chronological order with the exception of material relating to John Watt Kearney and his son, 1892 - 1898 and correspondence as manager of Viola Allen, 1901 - 1905. Much of this section is correspondence relating to information about "Wild" Bill Hickok and the book Wilstach wrote on "Wild" Bill.
Included here is Wilstach's business correspondence, letters relating to legal matters, reservation requests, financial papers including bank statements and all material having to do with the acquisition of his car in 1928. Author Benjamin De Casseres was a frequent correspondent of Wilstach.
The family correspondence, 1772 - 1933, contains genealogical information and letters of the Ustick (paternal grandmother), Wilstach and related families. There is much correspondence with his brothers Paul and Joseph Walter, and Frank's children John and Florence.
The writings, which were not all written by Wilstach, are arranged alphabetically by subject and/or title. These writings include articles sold to periodicals, plays, biographical sketches, poems, interviews, notes, clippings and some correspondence relating to a particular writing. Some copies very frail.
The "Wild" Bill Hickok material is mostly research material (photostats and clippings of printed articles on Hickok) used by Wilstach for short articles and the book "Wild Bill Hickok, The Prince of Pistoleers; " author's manuscript and printer's copy included. Also mounted clippings of reviews of Wilstach's book on Hickok. The bulk of this collection is material gathered for Wilstach's "Dictionary of Similes", most of which is unsorted. This material dates roughly 1915 - 1932. There is no apparent alphabetical or chronological order to the note file which contains folders of notes pasted in strips across the page. Interfiled with notes are small amounts of correspondence, clippings, printed material and articles on language by Wilstach. Also included is the original typescript in three volumes and bound volume of clippings, letters and other material having to do with the dictionary.
The collection ends with notebooks on literature, law and miscellaneous subjects kept by Frank's father John Augustine Wilstach
Five series: I. Correspondence; II. Writings; III. Wild Bill Hickok Related Material; IV. Dictionary of Similes Related Material; V. John A. Wilstach Notebooks and Scrapbook
1934; 1966, Received from Estate of F. J. Wilstach, Paul Wilstach Theatre Collection
Accessioned by L. B, Feb. 13, 1987