Daniel Defoe

@Trader, Career and Family

Daniel Defoe was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe.

Sep 13, 1660

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Biography

Personal Details

  • Birthday: September 13, 1660
  • Died on: April 24, 1731
  • Nationality: British
  • Famous: Trader, Writers
  • Spouses: Mary Tuffley (m. 1684–1731)
  • Known as: Daniel Foe
  • Birth Place: London, England

Daniel Defoe born at

London, England

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Birth Place

He tied the marital knot with daughter of a London merchant, Mary Tuffley. Though the marriage went through a troubled phase, due to his increasing debts and political difficulties, the two managed to stay together for 50 years.

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Personal Life

They were blessed with eight children, of which six survived to adulthood.

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Personal Life

He breathed his last on April 24, 1731 and was interred in Bunhill Fields, London. In 1870, a monument was constructed in memory of him.

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Personal Life

Daniel Defoe was born as Daniel Foe around 1660 at the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London to Annie and James Foe. However, his exact birthdate and birth location is a matter of contest.

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Childhood & Early Life

His father James Foe was a prosperous tallow chandler and a member of the Butchers' Company. Later on, he changed his name to Daniel Defoe to sound aristrocratic.

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Childhood & Early Life

Since early on, young Defoe had a first-hand experience of natural plights and disasters as he witnessed the Great Plague of London, the Great Fire of London and the Dutch attacks on Chatham.

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Childhood & Early Life

He completed his preliminary education from Rev. James Fisher's boarding school and later on took to studying at the dissenting academy at Newington Green in London due to his Presbyterian background.

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Childhood & Early Life

Initially planning to become a dissenting minister, he gave up on the same to pursue business. He started as a general merchant selling hosiery stuffs, woollen goods and wine. Though his business thrived successfully, he was never out of debt.

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Career

Meanwhile, keeping up with his interest in politics, he published his first literary piece in 1683, which was a political pamphlet. Working as a journalist, he published several pieces which supported the King William.

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Career

In 1685, he became one of the members of the Monmouth Rebellion but was pardoned. Three years later, when William III was appointed as the king, he served as his close ally and secret agent.

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Career

In 1695, he returned to England and started serving as the commissioner of glass duty. His profile included collecting taxes on bottles. The following year, he commenced a tile and brick factory and started living in the parish of Chadwell St Mary.

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Career

His first serious publication came in 1697 under the title, ‘An Essay Upon Projects’. The work gave a detailed analysis of proposals for economic and social improvement.

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Career

This author of the famous novel, ‘Robinson Crusoe’ is said to have employed at least 198 pen names during his career as a writer and journalist.

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Trivia