Nordhoff, Charles, 1830-1901

American author and sailor.

Charles Nordhoff (1830-1901) was an American journalist and author. He edited the New York Evening Post from 1857 to 1871, was the New York Herald's Washington correspondent from 1874 to 1890, and wrote political works and books about the sea. He advocated the Union cause in the U.S. Civil War.

Charles Nordhoff was born in Westphalia, Germany on August 31st, 1830. He was brought to the United States by his father in 1834. They settled in Missouri. After the death of his father Mr. Nordhoff was placed in the care of a Methodist Minister in Cincinnati. He was schooled in the printing trade and was working in a printing office when he decided to run away in search of a life at sea. He traveled to Baltimore and after a year of working in newspaper offices shipped in the U.S. Ship "Columbus", which sailed in March 1845 for China. The ship stopped in Yeddo, Japan in 1846, and was the first U.S. Man-of-War ever to lie in a Japanese Port. The ship then traveled to the Hawaiian Islands and then California, arriving in the Bay of Monterey in March 1847 and heading up to San Francisco shortly afterward. It was at this time that Mr. Nordhoff became Captain's clerk on the Sloop-of-War, "Warren". He later returned to his old ship, the "Columbus", and reached Norfolk, Virginia in 1848. He continued to follow the sea until 1853 when he quit and entered Journalism, working on the "Philadelphia Register", the "Indianapolis Sentinel", the "New York Evening Post", and the "New York Herald". He also wrote numerous books on topics such as his sea voyages, his first visit to the coast of California, California travel and life, Oregon and the Sandwich Islands description and travel, and Communistic Societies of the United States. Mr. Nordhoff retired from journalism in Coronado, California.

Charles Nordhoff (1830-1901) was an American journalist and author.

He edited the New York Evening Post from 1857 to 1871, was the New York Herald's Washington correspondent from 1874 to 1890, and wrote political works and books about the sea. He advocated the Union cause in the U.S. Civil War.