Irving Bacheller

Born in Pierrepont, New York, in 1859, Irving Bacheller built an unusual career that bridged journalism and fiction. He graduated from St. Lawrence University and went on to found the Bacheller Syndicate, which is widely described as the first modern newspaper syndicate in the United States.

After his newspaper work, he became a popular novelist. Reference works describe his fiction as being rooted in upper New York State and early American life, with a gift for humor and memorable rural characters. His best-known books include Eben Holden and D'ri and I.

Bacheller died in White Plains, New York, in 1950. Today he is remembered both as an important figure in American journalism and as a storyteller who captured the rhythms, speech, and character of everyday people.