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Chevalier Henry Wikoff
Chevalier Henry Wikoff
Chevalier Henry Wikoff

Chevalier Henry Wikoff

PeriodCirca 1845
Place MadePossibly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
MediumDaguerreotype in gutta percha case, velvet, pressed gilt brass
Dimensions3.63 × 3.13 in. (9.2 × 7.9 cm)
ClassificationsDaguerreotypes and Ambrotypes
Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Gulick, 2017
Object number1240-19.10
DescriptionLeather covered case with single clasp on the side. Inside back cover is lined with green silk. Green velvet trim and gold oval mat surrounds the daguerreotype of Chevalier Henry Wikoff.
NotesWikoff's life was filled with mystery, intrigue, and drama. Born in 1813, Wikoff was the illegitimate son of a wealthy doctor. He attended Yale University in 1829, graduated from Union College in 1829, and became a lawyer in 1834. Upon his father's death, Wikoff received a sizeable fortune, and spent time traveling throughout Europe. There's not enough space in this post to describe Wikoff's many adventures. Highlights include spending time in an Italian prison for attempting to force heiress Miss G. C. Gamble into marriage. Wikoff served as a diplomat at various times for the United States, Great Britain, and France. He was close personal friends with Mary Todd Lincoln (although President Lincoln didn't seem to care for him) and was involved in a scandal when Lincoln's 1861 State of the Union address was published ahead of time by the New York Herald newspaper. Wikoff was also close friends with General Dan Sickles, who lost his leg at Gettysburg and was the first American citizen to successfully use the temporary insanity defense after shooting his wife's lover. His title "Chevalier" was bestowed upon him by the Bonaparte family for his diplomatic services. Wikoff wrote several books, including "Reminiscences of an Idler" in 1880. In his obituary of 1884, he was described as "a man of fine appearance and a most agreeable companion." We're currently researching his connection to the Hartshorne family who donated several of Wikoff's personal items, including his traveling trunk, to the Association in the 1930s. Wikoff may also have visited the elegant watering spots of Long Branch in the 1850s.
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