Washington Irving

He did not go into the wedlock in his life, but was romantically attracted to Emily, daughter of the royal family of Dresden, Fosters, while he was in Germany. Following her refusal to his offer of marriage, he relocated from Germany.

He breathed his last on November 28, 1859 due to heart attack. He was buried at Sleepy Hollow cemetery two days later.

To honor his literary contribution, several schools, parks, memorials, the city of Irving in Texas, a community area at Irving Park and Irving Trust Corporation has been named after him. He also has to his credit Washington Irving literary society, Indianapolis, Indiana neighborhood of Irvington and the town of Knickerbocker, Texas.

Washington Irving was born on April 3, 1783 to William Irving Sr and Sarah in New York City. He had eleven siblings out of which only eight survived to adulthood.

He met his namesake, George Washington, at a very young age and captured the moment in a small painting which is present till date.

Much against the family tradition of becoming merchants, young Irving had an inherent interest in literature and pursued the same. Interestingly, his brothers supported him in his literary pursuits, monetarily helping him chase his passion.

Academically, he wasn’t a dedicated student and instead preferred to attend theatre than sit in class. It was during the outbreak of the 1798 yellow fever that he left Manhattan for health reasons.

In 1802, he started submitting letters to the New York Morning Chronicle under the pen name, Jonathan Oldstyle. This was the modest beginning of his legendary literary career.

From 1804 to 1806, he undertook a trip to Europe learning the social and conversational skills that helped him at the later stages of life. In between, he was also persuaded to take up painting as a profession which did not materialize.

Upon returning from Europe, he took up law classes under Judge Josiah Ogden Hoffman, his legal mentor. In 1806, he just about passed the bar examination.

In 1807, with the help of his brother and friend, he started a literary magazine, Salmagundi. The content of the magazine included critical comments on New York’s culture and politics.

The success of Salmagundi built his reputation outside New York. It was in 1809 that he completed his first major book titled, ‘A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty’. The book met with immediate critical and popular success.

In 1830, he was awarded a medal by the Royal Society of Literature. The following year, he received an honorary doctorate of civil law from Oxford