author

Charles Wesley Alexander

1837–1927

A Philadelphia publisher and popular writer of sensation fiction, he also wrote patriotic and historical pieces that circulated widely in the Civil War era. Some of his work appeared under the pen name Wesley Bradshaw, linking him to a colorful corner of 19th-century American print culture.

1 Audiobook

Angel Agnes The Heroine of the Yellow Fever Plague in Shreveport

Angel Agnes The Heroine of the Yellow Fever Plague in Shreveport

by Charles Wesley Alexander

About the author

Born in 1837 and later active in Philadelphia, Charles Wesley Alexander was an American author and publisher whose books ranged from domestic melodrama to patriotic and historical writing. Library and authority records confirm his lifespan as 1837–1927, and several surviving editions show that he published under his own imprint as well as under the name C. W. Alexander.

He is also associated with the pseudonym Wesley Bradshaw. That name appears on Civil War-era and later popular fiction, and historical collections identify Bradshaw as Alexander's pen name. His known works include titles such as Maud of the Mississippi, Poor Ellen Stuart's Fate, Alexander's Family Friend, and History and Legends of the Old Liberty Bell in Independence Hall, at Philadelphia.

Alexander seems to have moved easily between commercial storytelling and topical, patriotic subjects, which helps explain why his work still turns up in library collections and historical archives. While he is not a household name today, his books offer a lively glimpse into the tastes, anxieties, and popular reading habits of 19th-century America.