• Washington Irving (1783–1859) – American writer and diplomat, best known for short stories and historical sketches.
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) – American poet and writer, master of gothic fiction and pioneer of the detective genre.
• Herman Melville (1819–1891) – American novelist, best known for "Moby Dick" and a key figure in the American Renaissance.
• Bret Harte (1836–1902) – American wri...