Ned Buntline
Ned Buntline, born Edward Zane Carroll Judson in 1823, was a multifaceted figure known for his adventurous life as a writer, soldier, and promoter of the Wild West. Initially a midshipman in the Navy, he became notorious for his tumultuous personal life, including multiple marriages and run-ins with the law. Buntline's involvement in the Civil War was marked by a dishonorable discharge, yet he remained influential in various social movements, including the anti-immigration Know Nothings.
His literary career began in the 1840s with the publication of Western serials, but he later found significant success writing dime novels, particularly after recognizing their popularity. Buntline is credited with coining the nickname "Buffalo Bill" for the famed scout William F. Cody, whom he helped launch into a successful show business career. Over his lifetime, he wrote numerous novels and articles, contributing to the romanticized portrayal of the American West. Buntline passed away in 1886, leaving a legacy as a prolific writer who shaped popular perceptions of frontier life.
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Ned Buntline
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- Born: March 20, 1823
- Birthplace: Stamford, New York
- Died: July 16, 1886
- Place of death: Stamford, New York
Biography
Ned Buntline was born Edward Zane Carroll Judson on March 20, 1823, in Stamford, New York. Buntline’s father, a writer and political activist, relocated Buntline and his sister to Philadelphia in 1834. As a young boy, he ran away for a life at sea and became a midshipman in the Navy by the age of fifteen. After four years in the Navy, he resigned.
Buntline was known for his drunkenness and womanizing, frequently being involved in multiple marriages simultaneously. A gunslinger and fighter, he had many brushes with the law. He was found guilty of murder and hung, but the rope was cut just before he died.
He lived a life of adventure, serving in the Seminole Wars and living the rugged life of a Northwest fur trader. Buntline enlisted in the Union Army as a sergeant during the civil war, but saw no battle action. He was demoted to the rank of private for overstaying a furlough to visit his wife and was dishonorably discharged on April 23, 1864.
In the 1840’s, Buntline became concerned by the increase in immigrants to the United States. He began an organization called the Know Nothings, which were anti-immigration, especially anti-Catholic and anti-Irish. Although not an official political organization, the Know Nothings were heavy supporters of politicians who shared their views and were quite influential. Several members went on to win elections.
During the 1840’s, Buntline started writing and publishing Western serials in a magazine he began, the Western Literary Journal. The magazine featured prominent and serious Western writers of the day and debased dime-store pulp novels. Buntline also wrote for several other journals as well, but he was never able to make a comfortable living.
During his service in the Civil War, Buntline began to realize the immense popularity of the dime novels which he had spent his career discrediting. He quickly began writing dime fiction of his own, published by Street and Smith and later by Beadle, and became successful in doing so.
On a trip back from California, Buntline stopped in Nebraska to research a recent Indian battle which he wanted to portray in an upcoming novel. He was referred to a scout, William F. Cody. Buntline became so impressed by Cody’s charisma, background, and good looks, that he dubbed him Buffalo Bill and made him the protagonist of several novels. Buntline also created plays around Cody, some of which Cody played the leading role. Buntline encouraged Cody to enter show business, and Cody began a successful entertainment career.
Buntline became an incredibly successful and prolific writer, claiming to have been able to write a six-hundred-page novel in sixty hours. In addition to writing dozens of Western dime novels, Buntline also wrote a great deal of nonfiction magazine articles about hobbies, recreation, and social reform issues.
In 1885, Buntline developed heart problems, and died July 16, 1886. His ability to romanticize life in the Wild West and make it appealing to various demographics was his greatest literary contribution.