O. Henry

Bio

(1862-1910) Short-story writer. O. Henry was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He went to Texas in 1882 and worked as a teller in an Austin bank (1891-94) and as a newspaperman for the Houston Post. In 1898 an unexplained shortage in the Austin bank was charged to him. Although many people believed him innocent, he fled to the Honduras but returned to be with his wife, who was fatally ill. During his prison sentence he began writing stories. Upon his release from incarceration he moved in New York City and became a highly successful and prolific contributor to various magazines. His short, simple stories are noted for their careful plotting, irony, and almost trademark “trick” endings. Although his stories have come under critical fire, O. Henry’s fiction did capture the essence of New York City. His approximately 300 stories are collected in “Cabbages and Kings” (1904), “The Four Million” (1906), “The Voice of the City” (1908), “Options” (1909), and others. He stayed at the Hotel Chelsea in the early 1900s and also lived in Grove Court. Another home was at 47 West 24th Street. In 2012 the United States Postal Service issued its 28th stamp in the Literary Arts series in honor of the 150th anniversary of O. Henry.