Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry

Poet and children’s author. Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Worked as a dry-goods clerk before briefly joining the army during the War of 1812. Afterwards he began an unsuccessful business publishing American authors with his friend George Sheldon. Married twice, Adeline Gratia Bradley in 1818 and Mary Boott in 1822. Travelled to Europe from 1823-1824 and met Hannah More. Returned to the United States and set to reform children’s literature. Author of the Peter Parley series; the first instalment was The Tales of Peter Parley about America (1827). Founder of the children’s magazines Merry’s Museum and Parley’s Magazine that merged together in the 1840s. Biographical information: ANB. (CC)