Biography of 	WALDO, James C., Meredosia, Ill., then Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller July 1998

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Waldo, James Curtis, writer and journalist, son of James Elliot and 
Eveline Almira (Cobb) Waldo; born at Meredosia Ill., Dec. 10, 1835; 
died at New Orleans, La., Aug. 28, 1901; his mother died in his early 
infancy and he was sent to live with an uncle, Rev. Josiah Waldo, at 
Troy, N. V., where he attended the Troy academy; came to New Orleans in 
1848 and after courses at local schools entered his father's firm; 
removed to New York in 1857, where he engaged in wholesale mercantile 
business up to the opening of the Civil war, when he came South and 
entered the Confederate army; served only 1 year when he was honorably 
discharged on account of extreme illness; was offered lucrative 
appointments by Gen. Butler and the Federal authorities during the 
occupation of New Orleans and the reconstruction period, all of which 
he declined; after the Civil war entered journalism as a pursuit and 
was identified one time or another and in an editorial capacity with 
practically every democratic and anti-carpet bag newspaper or 
publication in New Orleans; his writings and the bitter denunciations 
by him of carpet bag politicians brought him into frequent conflicts 
with those in authority during the reconstruction period; was one of 
the organizers of the White League, the organization mainly responsible 
for restoring white rule in Louisiana; took a conspicuous part in the 
events immediately preceding and which followed the battle of the 14th 
Sept., 1874, in which conflict he was an active participant; he is best 
known and remembered for his poems published under the nom de plume of 
"Tim Linkenwater"; "A Christmas Carol," originally written for the 
newsboys of the New Orleans Times, has been translated into eight 
languages; within 3 weeks of the publication in the New Orleans 
Picayune of "An Old Heirloom," it had been copied by newspapers and 
periodicals from coast to coast; he was the moving spirit of several 
carnival organizations and was one of the 8 founders of the Carnival 
Court; married Margaret Mary Woods; children,  Janey Waldo Marks (Mrs. 
Sumter Davis Marks),  Eveline A.,  Harry J.,  James Curtis 2nd (died in 
infancy), Catherine Woods,  Margaret (died in infancy),  Anna (died in 
infancy), James Curtis 3rd, and  Benjamin Taylor.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 
584-585.  Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.