A. R. (Alfred Rochefort) Calhoun

Born in Kentucky in 1844, Alfred Rochefort Calhoun wrote under the name A. R. Calhoun. Library of Congress authority records identify him as an author, dramatist, journalist, illustrator, photographer, surveyor, and soldier, which helps explain the wide range of subjects in his books.

According to Green-Wood Cemetery's biographical note, he served in a Kentucky Union regiment during the Civil War, was wounded, captured, and imprisoned at Libby Prison, and later returned to a busy civilian career. That work included time as a railway survey artist, photographer, and special artist for Harper's Weekly and the Philadelphia Press, along with writing fiction and drama.

Calhoun also published popular books such as How to Get on in the World, Business Hints for Men and Women, Healthful Sports for Boys, and Kohala of Hawaii. He died in Brooklyn in 1912, leaving behind the record of a restless, versatile nineteenth-century career.