John Wilkes

Arthur Hill Cash was born in Gary, Indiana on February 4, 1922. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Chicago School of Expression and Dramatic Art and joined the Tilton's Comedians, a troupe that performed stock dramas in rural towns. In 1942, he enlisted in the Army and served in England and France as a surgical technician with a medical unit. After Germany's surrender, he was assigned to perform in and stage manage Brother Rat at Army bases in Germany and France.

He received a bachelor's degree in 1948 from the University of Chicago, a master's degree in 1950 from the University of Wisconsin, and a doctorate in 1961 from Columbia University. He taught at the University of Colorado, the University of New Mexico, and Colorado State University before joining the English department at the State University of New York at New Paltz in 1967. He retired from there in 1997.

He wrote several biographies during his lifetime including Laurence Sterne: The Early and Middle Years, Laurence Sterne: The Later Years, and John Wilkes: The Scandalous Father of Civil Liberty. He took an active role in the restoration of Laurence Sterne's house Shandy Hall and wrote a visitor's guide entitled Laurence Sterne at Shandy Hall. He died on December 29, 2016 at the age of 94.

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