Colin Barker

Biography
        Colin Barker may or may not be a pseudonym.  The fact is, we don’t know and may never know much of anything about the man behind the name other than he was originally the listed author of The Golden Belt; or, The Carib’s Pledge, number 5 of the Beadle’s Dime Novels series.  (Later reprints of the novel listed Henry J. Thomas as the author, so even that one datum is questionable.)  The name Colin Barker is associated with these other pen names: Edward S. Ellis, John Lewis, Henry J. Thomas, and Mrs. Henry J. Thomas; and it is generally assumed they are the same person; but if so it’s unclear which names are pseudonyms and which one is the real name (if any).
        It’s a doggone shame when people who created something worthwhile, something that will last essentially forever to be enjoyed by other people, are themselves forgotten and fade into anonymity.  If anyone has more information about this author, please contact us and share that information so we can, in turn, share it with the world.

Bibliography (wildly incomplete)
        The Golden Belt; or, The Carib’s Pledge (1860, as Colin Barker)
        The Allens (1862, as Henry J. Thomas)
        The Wrong Man (1862, as Henry J. Thomas)
        Border Bessie (?, as Mrs. Henry J. Thomas)

Other links
        Northern Illinois University

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