Dreiser would seem a good candidate for the authors list. Sister Carrie and the first two books of his Cowperwood trilogy antedate 1923.
The Cowperwood trilogy are based on the life of Charles Yerkes. The Financier relates his life in Philadelphia and in the Pennsylvania prison system. Titan follows him in Chicago and New York until he heads out for London.
Those and others up to An American Tragedy are available as E-books.