Though many details about his early life are in dispute, scholars agree that Arnold was born in New York City and that his father may have been the Reverend George B. Arnold.
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This biography of the illustrator Thomas Nast makes brief mention of Nast's involvement with the Pfaff's bohemians in a chapter that details Nast's time working for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper (chapter 4, "At Leslie's"). "The Leslie publication office was at that time on Frankfort Street, between William and Nassau" (21), which was about a mile-and-a-half straight down Broadway from Pfaff's. Paine mentions that Nast and other Leslie employees, such as Richard Henry Stoddard Sol Eytinge, and Mortimer Thompson ("Doesticks"), frequented Pfaff's together at this time. He writes, "Often in their rounds they brought up at Pfaff's beer-cellar, on Broadway near Bleecker Street--a bohemian resort, long since vanished and now become historic" (22). Paine also waxes nostalgic for the literary and artistic liveliness of mid-nineteenth-century New York that he, writing at the beginning of the twentieth century, believes has already passed: "It was not so big a town then, but one feels, somehow, that there was more comradeship, more characteristic personality, more of the feeling and flavor of art than we find here to-day" (22).
Arnold is mentioned as a frequenter of Pfaff's who, along with others, found Nast "amusing" and "took him to theatres and other cozy resorts and 'showed him the town'" (22).
Bellew is mentioned as a frequenter of Pfaff's who, along with others, found Nast "amusing" and "took him to theatres and other cozy resorts and 'showed him the town'" (22).
A Bellew illustration of Nast appears on page 254.
Eytinge is mentioned as one of Nast's colleagues at Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper and as a frequenter of Pfaff's. Paine mentions that Eytinge was "celebrated for his humorous negro drawings of the 'Small Breed Family'" (21).
Gunn is mentioned as belonging to Thomas Nast's circle of friends. Paine also notes that Gunn is the descendant of British poet Samuel Butler (30).
O'Reilly is mentioned as a frequenter of Pfaff's who, along with others, found Nast "amusing" and "took him to theatres and other cozy resorts and 'showed him the town'" (22).
Paine puts his name in quotation marks to suggest that "Miles O'Reilly" is a pseudonym, but he does not explicitly say so.
Nast's involvement with the Pfaff's bohemians is discussed in the larger context of his work for the popular New York-based magazine Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper. Paine writes, "The Leslie editorial office was frequented by most of the illustrators and writers of that period. Miss Croly, who signed herself 'Jenny June', was often there. Also came Richard Henry Stoddard, then in the fulness of early manhood and power; Mortimer Thompson, whose pen-name was 'Doesticks'; and all the rest of that blithe and talented crew. 'Doesticks' was regularly employed on the Tribune, but did frequent assignments for Leslie's, and Eytinge or Nast, sometimes both, accompanied him. Often in their rounds they brought up at Pfaff's beer-cellar, on Broadway near Bleecker Street--a bohemian resort, long since vanished and now become historic. Here they would find 'Miles O'Reilly', George Arnold, Frank Bellew, Fitz-James O'Brien and a host of other good fellows. The boy was happy to be seen in this crowd of notables and felt that he was getting on. In turn, they doubtless found the 'fat little Dutch boy' amusing. They took him to theaters and other cozy resorts and 'showed him the town'. It was not so big a town then, but one feels, somehow, that there was more comradeship, more characteristic personality, more of the feeling and flavor of art than we find here to-day" (21-22).
O'Brien is mentioned as a frequenter of Pfaff's who, along with others, found Nast "amusing" and "took him to theatres and other cozy resorts and 'showed him the town'" (22).
Stoddard is mentioned as one of Nast's colleagues at Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper, but he is not specifically connected with Pfaff's here.
Thompson is mentioned as one of Nast's colleagues at Frank Leslie's Illustrated Paper and as a frequenter of Pfaff's.
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Though many details about his early life are in dispute, scholars agree that Arnold was born in New York City and that his father may have been the Reverend George B. Arnold.
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015