Queer Places:
Pfaff’s, 653 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Mount Moriah Cemetery, 6201 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19142, United States
Frederick B. Vaughan (c. 1837 – January 27, 1893) was a Canadian-born stage driver, known primarily for his close, intimate relationship with the American poet Walt Whitman during the late 1850s and early 1860s. Scholars have gradually come to the realization that Fred's love for Walt was a key inspiration for "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman.
Vaughan was born in Canada (likely Saint John, New Brunswick) to parents of Irish descent. As a young man, he spent time in the United States, working as a driver for horse-drawn omnibuses. Historical records suggest he may have initially settled in Boston before moving to New York, where he became a prominent figure in the circles frequented by Walt Whitman.
Vaughan is recognized by scholars as a significant companion of Whitman during the period when the poet was developing his "Calamus" poems. The two shared an intense bond; Whitman often sent Vaughan proofs of his work, including galleys for the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass.
Their relationship was marked by deep affection, but also by periods of tension. Vaughan was known to frequent Pfaff’s, a popular bohemian beer cellar in New York City, and his struggles with alcohol were a recurring concern for those close to him. These personal difficulties, along with Vaughan’s eventual marriage, led to an "estrangement" between the two men.
In 1862, Vaughan married, and he eventually became the father of four children. Despite the drift in their personal relationship, they maintained intermittent contact over the following decades. In 1890, near the end of Whitman's life, Vaughan visited him in Camden, New Jersey. Whitman later remarked on the toll that drinking had taken on his former friend.
Frederick B. Vaughan died on January 27, 1893, at the age of 54. He was interred at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia. Following his estrangement from Whitman, he wrote a poem about the Williamsburg Ferry that included themes reminiscent of Whitman's own "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," expressing a lingering, profound connection to the poet.
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