User menu

Menu

Relationships of Clare, Ada

To explore the relationships between the various bohemian writers and artists who frequented Pfaff's bar, select a person or group, and then select a relationship type. This section of the site is currently under construction; new content is being added on a regular basis.

Displaying 1 - 80 of 80
acquaintances

Aldrich, Thomas Bailey (1836-1907)

Aldrich was familiar with Clare during his days in the "Literary Bohemia" of New York.

Burroughs, John (1837-1921)

Parry quotes Burroughs's 1862 description of Ada Clare: "She is really beautiful, not a characterless beauty, but a singular, unique beauty" (18). Parry also cites evidence of Burroughs firing back at Clare, "this caustic woman" who "ought to be sentenced to forty years' silence: 'My heart bleeds for Abbey!'" for her reviews of H.A. Abbey's book of poems, May Dreams (29).

Howells, William Dean (1837-1920)

Howells met Clare at Pfaff's and said that "it was taken for granted that she was a brilliant woman."

Menken, Adah Isaacs (1835-1868)

Pfaff, Charles Ignatius (1813-1890)

According to Parry, her name was the first of many mentioned by Pfaff and Whitman when they toasted the deceased Bohemians in 1881.

Whitman, Walt (1819-1892)

Lalor described her as one of the Bohemians that made an impression on Whitman.

Wilkins, Edward (Ned) G. P. (1829-1861)

E. G. P. Wilkins described Clare as "the Queen" of Bohemia, "the only free community on the face of the earth."

Winter, William (1836-1917)

After Clare died, Winter wrote a short obituary and poem. Winter was also on the coroner's jury that investigated Clare's death (15-16).

Winter wrote of his relationship to Ada Clare: "A brother's place in that fond breast was mine to hold" (36).

antagonists

Eytinge, Rose (1838-1911)

In her memoir, Eytinge described the development of a rivalry with Clare when the other actress came to Albany.

Whitman, Walt (1819-1892)

Clare met with Whitman's disapproval when she was not only unconventional but also when she was inconsiderate.

Whitman and the "respectable literati" criticized her lifestyle and work based on the accounts of her private life. She retaliated in the Press.

collaborators

Brougham, John (1810-1880)

Clare mentions Brougham's role in Poor Young Man as one of the two that were superior to the French version of the play.

Clare discusses Brougham's performance in Everybody's Friend at Wallack's and praises his personal qualities and assets.

It is very likely that Ada Clare appeared onstage with Menken, Brougham, and others.

Burroughs, John (1837-1921)

Clapp, Henry Jr. (1814-1875)

Clapp worked with Ada Clare at the Leader after the Saturday Press dissolved.

Ada Clare worked for the Saturday Press under Henry Clapp.

The article mentions that she, Ned Wilkins, "and the bucket of beer which Clapp used to carry into the office every afternoon" assisted Winter with the dramatic criticisms for the Saturday Press.

Curtis, George William (1824-1892)

Clare discusses G.W. Curtis' Trumps and discusses how it has increasingly interested the reading audience and claims that it is on par with English serial stories.

Eytinge, Rose (1838-1911)

Gay, Getty (1840?-1860)

Ada Clare recommends reading Gay's Waking from Illusions in the Saturday Press.

Jefferson, Joseph (1829-1905)

Clare commends Jefferson's recent role in the play Smike in her column for the Saturday Press.

Keene, Laura (1826-1873)

Clare praises the quality of Keene's voice in her Saturday Press column "Thoughts and Things."

Odell notes that she acted at Wallacks with Laura Keene's company.

Menken, Adah Isaacs (1835-1868)

It is very likely that Ada Clare appeared onstage with Menken, Brougham, and others.

Whitman, Walt (1819-1892)

Clare was instrumental in garnering female support for Whitman through her writing in the Saturday Press.

Wilkins, Edward (Ned) G. P. (1829-1861)

The article mentions that she, Ned Wilkins, "and the bucket of beer which Clapp used to carry into the office every afternoon" assisted Winter with the dramatic criticisms for the Saturday Press.

Winter, William (1836-1917)

The article mentions that she, Ned Wilkins, "and the bucket of beer which Clapp used to carry into the office every afternoon" assisted Winter with the dramatic criticisms for the Saturday Press.

friends

Ballard, Anna (1828-1923)

Ballard was Ada Clare's friend and traveling companion.

Benton, Joel (1832-1911)

Benton was a member of Clare's coterie of Bohemians.

Benton, Myron Beecher (1834-1902)

Benton was friends with Ada Clare and was part of her coterie of Bohemians.

Brisbane, Albert (1809-1890)

Brisbane was a member of Clare's coterie of Bohemians.

Clapp, Henry Jr. (1814-1875)

Dodge, Ossian Euclid (1820-1876)

A member of Clare's coterie of Bohemians, Dodge is identified as "the humorist."

Elliott, Charles Loring (1812-1868)

Elliot was a member of Clare coterie of Bohemians.

Eytinge, Rose (1838-1911)

In her memoir, Eytinge described the development of a friendship with Clare when she came to Albany, after an initial rivalry between the two actresses.

Fiske, Stephen Ryder (1840-1916)

One of the "clever and distinguished" men who frequented Ada Clare's Sunday evening parties at her home on West 42nd Street.

Fry, William Henry (1813-1864)

Fry was a member of Clare coterie of Bohemians.

Goldbeck, Mary Freeman (1825-1874)

Describes Goldbeck as one of the "beautiful and brilliant" women who congregated at Ada Clare's home in New York City.

Goldbeack was a member of Clare's coterie of Bohemians.

Masset, Benjamin

Masset was a member of Clare's coterie of Bohemians.

Menken, Adah Isaacs (1835-1868)

Menken is mentioned as a friend of Ada Clare.

Seymour, Charles Bailey (1829-1869)

Identified as a member of Clare's bohemian coterie (103).

Ward, Artemus (1834-1867)

P.B. Shillaber recollected Charles F. Brown (Artemus Ward) dining at Pffaf's with Clare.

Whitman, Walt (1819-1892)

Clare was friends with Whitman, who defended her character after her death.

Whitman claims to have been very friendly with her and describes her as "brilliant, bright, and handsome. She went on the stage, I think, and then melted out of sight."

Holloway described her as appealing to Whitman both personally and as a model of a new woman.

According to Parry, Whitman admired her as "a New Woman born too soon."

Charles Pfaff and Whitman reminisce about the old days, and mention Clare's name as a friend who is missed.

de Gurowski, Adam (1805-1866)

Gurowski is mentioned as one of Clare's coterie of Bohemians.

groups

The Saturday Press

Clare is mentioned as a regular contributor to the Saturday Press.

Clare wrote a weekly column for the Saturday Press.

Clare wrote a column in the Saturday Press, which "sparkled with comments on the latest play, poem, novel, or bit of gossip."

Ada Clare is listed as one of the "friendly contributors" to the Saturday Press who "were glad to furnish articles for nothing, being friendly toward the establishment of an absolutely independent critical paper, a thing practically unknown in those days."

Wallack's Lyceum

Her professional stage debut was in 1858 at Wallack's Lyceum.

West 42nd St. Coterie

Rawson describes the coterie that Clare gathered at her home on Forty-Second Street. In contrast to Henry Clapp’s “evil influences of pipe, beer, cynic jokes," Clare provided a congenial atmosphere for the Pfaffians during her Sunday night receptions.

Rawson describes the coterie that Clare gathered at her home on Forty-Second Street. In contrast to Henry Clapp’s “evil influences of pipe, beer, cynic jokes,” Clare provided a congenial atmosphere for the Pfaffians during her Sunday night receptions.

lovers

Clapp, Henry Jr. (1814-1875)

According to Parry, Clapp was the "least active" of Clare's many admirers.

O'Brien, Fitz-James (1826-1862)

Pearsall, Robert W. (1833-1871)

Pearsall is referred to as "Lord Pierceall, Troubadour to Her Majesty" Ada Clare, the "Queen of Bohemia" (2).

Gunn writes that Pearsall was engaged to marry Clare (139-40).

"Robert W. Pearsall, Jr., . . . one of the owners of the Saturday Press, has persuaded [Ada Clare] to stop sowing any more wild oats and marry him."

Whitman, Walt (1819-1892)

Reynolds says that during the Pfaff's period Whitman "appeared to have had a brief affair with a woman, possibly Ada Clare."