Henry Wikoff was an American traveller and writer.

Wikoff was born about 1811, the illegitimate son of a doctor and inherited a sizeable fortune, which enabled him to travel extensively in Europe. He attended the College of New Jersey

Princeton University

Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....

 (but did not get a degree) and was admitted to the bar

Admission to the bar in the United States

In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...

 in Pennsylvania in 1834.

He then went to Europe, where he acted as a diplomatic agent for the USA, Britain and France at different times, and even spend some time in prison in Italy. returning to America, he was responsible for the successful tour by famous dancer Fanny Elssler

Fanny Elssler

Fanny Elssler - 27 November 1884), born Franziska Elßler, was an Austrian ballerina of the 'Romantic Period'.- Life :Daughter of Johann Florian Elssler, a second generation employee of Prince Esterhazy in Eisenstadt. Both Johann and his brother Josef were employed as copyists to the Prince's...

 in 1840.

Henry Wikoff became a close friend of Mary Todd Lincoln

Mary Todd Lincoln

Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...

, wife of the President, which caused some scandalous comment. He was also friendly with the Bonaparte royal family in France, and was awarded the honor of Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, by the King of Spain

Amadeo I of Spain

Amadeo I was the only King of Spain from the House of Savoy...

 in 1871, entitling him to call himself Chevalier.

He also acted as an undercover reporter for the New York Herald

New York Herald

The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...

, making use of his presence in government circles.

He died in England in 1884.

Publications

• Napoleon Louis Bonaparte, First President of France; Biographical and Personal Sketches, Including a Visit to the Prince at the Castle of Ham New York: George P. Putnam (1849)
• My Courtship and its Consequences New York: J. C. Derby (1855)
• The Adventures of a Roving Diplomatist New York: W. P. Fetridge (1857)
• Memoir of Ginevra Guerrabella, T.J. Crowan,, New York (1863)
• Reminiscences of an Idler New York: Fords: Howard & Hulbert (1880)