Early 1900s Fantasy, Quicksilver, similar to Phillip Jose Farmer's River world series

[Erin]

Looking for a book I read in college in mid 1980s.

Book was published between 1900-1908. Author had a very simple old fashioned name and was maybe from the Midwest.

Story was about a man (Quicksilver) who is tasked with a journey. Along the way he meets a number of famous people, both dead and alive, from history (and maybe fictional characters too) and he has conversations with them.

It was a fictional story, of course, and similar to Philip Jose Farmer's River World series but written much earlier than his.

I can't remember who he spoke to in the book but think it might have included people like Genghis Kahn, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, etc.

I read River World many years later and was reminded of this book by its similarities in the plot.

I don't know if I ever saw the title of the book as the cover was missing, but I believe that Quicksilver was in the title.

I believe that in the end it is revealed that the main character was the god? Quicksilver who had wings on his shoes enabling him to travel great distances very quickly.