Mason Locke Weems

Richard J. Ring (Trinity College (Connecticut))

Ed. by Emory Elliott, University of California, Riverside
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.2: American (US) Writing and Culture: The Nineteenth Century, 1783-1900.
Vol. editors: J. Michael Duvall (College of Charleston), Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Tony Papanikolas (San Jose State University)

Dates

Born 11 Nov 1759
Died 23 May 1825
Activity 1799-1825

Places

Born in United States
Active in United States

Activities

Primary

Biographer
Clergyman
Preacher
Publisher

Other

Book seller
Children's/Young Adult writer
Clergyman
Historian / Chronicler
Pamphleteer
Rhetorician/ Orator

Resources

Weems' Works

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Mason Locke Weems was an itinerant bookseller, publisher's agent, Episcopalian cleric, and a writer who became famous primarily for his biography of George Washington, in which the first appearance of the story of young Washington and the cherry tree occurred. “Parson” Weems, as he is commonly known, was educated in Maryland and in England, and at different times prepared for careers in medicine and the Anglican church. Aside from his work on Washington, which was first published in 1800, he produced biographies of General Francis Marion (the “Swamp Fox”) in 1809, Benjamin Franklin (1818), and William Penn (1822). His other works include moralistic tracts reproving drunkenness, adultery, duelling and gambling, as well as political pamphlets and almanacs.

Weems was born at

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1305 words

Citation: Ring, Richard J.. "Mason Locke Weems". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 October 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4647, accessed 21 November 2024.]