Parke Godwin (journalist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parke Godwin
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| Born | February 28, 1816 Paterson, New Jersey
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| Died | January 7, 1904 (aged 87) New York, New York
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| Occupation | Journalist |
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Parke Godwin (born February 28, 1816, died January 7, 1904) was an American journalist. He was a well-known writer and thinker from New York. He used his writing to share his ideas about society and politics.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
Parke Godwin was born on February 28, 1816, in Paterson, New Jersey. His family had a history of serving their country. His father, Abraham Godwin, was a Lieutenant in the War of 1812. His grandfather, also named Abraham Godwin, was a Fife Major during the American Revolution.
Parke Godwin went to Princeton University and graduated in 1834. After college, he studied law. He was allowed to practice law in Kentucky, but he chose not to. In 1837, he moved to New York City. There, he married the oldest daughter of a famous poet, William Cullen Bryant.
A Career in Journalism
Godwin became very interested in journalism. This means he worked as a writer and editor for newspapers and magazines. By the 1830s, he was writing for the Evening Post. He also wrote for The United States Magazine and Democratic Review. In this magazine, he worked with John L. O'Sullivan. Godwin wrote about reforms, which are changes to improve things. Many of the changes he suggested were later added to New York's laws.
From 1837 to 1853, Godwin worked mostly for the Evening Post. In 1843, he started his own weekly newspaper called Pathfinder. However, it only lasted for three months.
Fighting for Change
Godwin held a government job as a deputy collector in the New York Custom House. This was during the time President James K. Polk was in office. Godwin was also one of the first members of the Republican Party. He strongly believed in free trade. This means countries should be able to trade goods without high taxes. He gave speeches and wrote articles to support the Republican Party.
He also became a supporter of a social movement called Fourierism. This idea was about creating perfect communities where everyone worked together. Godwin even wrote a book about it. He believed that these communities showed true democracy, where everyone has equal rights. He thought that democracy and religion were connected. He once said, "Christianity and Democracy are one."
In the 1850s, Godwin became a strong abolitionist. This means he was against slavery. He felt that slavery went against the true ideas of America. He believed that what made someone "American" was their belief in the country's ideals, not where they were born.
Godwin also worked as an editor for Putnam's Magazine. He worked with George William Curtis and Charles Frederick Briggs. In Putnam's, Godwin continued to share his anti-slavery views. He even criticized the president at the time, Franklin Pierce.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1865, Parke Godwin returned to work at the Evening Post. From 1868 to 1870, he was the main editor of Putnam's Magazine.
Later in his life, Godwin helped organize the writings of his father-in-law, William Cullen Bryant. He edited Bryant's Poetical Works (1883) and Complete Prose Writings (1884). He also wrote a book about Bryant's life in 1883.
Parke Godwin passed away on January 7, 1904, at his home in New York. He was surrounded by his daughters.
Works
Besides his work as an editor, Parke Godwin also wrote many of his own books and essays:
- Popular View of the Doctrines of Charles Fourier (1844)
- Constructive Democracy (1851)
- Vala, a Mythological Tale (1851)
- A Handbook of Universal Biography (1851; later called Cyclopedia of Biography, 1871)
- Political Essays (1856)
- History of France (first volume, 1861)
- Out of the Past, a collection of essays (1870)
- New Study of Shakespeare's Sonnets (1901)
He also translated works from famous German writers. These included Goethe, Fouqué, and Zschokke.
