Samuel Griswold Goodrich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Griswold Goodrich
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| Member of the Massachusetts State Senate |
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| In office 1837–1837 |
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| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives |
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| In office 1836–1836 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | August 19, 1793 Ridgefield, Connecticut |
| Died | May 9, 1860 (aged 66) |
| Relatives | Charles A. Goodrich (brother); Abigail Goodrich Whittlesey (sister) |
Samuel Griswold Goodrich (born August 19, 1793 – died May 9, 1860) was a famous American writer. Many people knew him by his pen name, Peter Parley. He wrote many books, especially for children.
Contents
Who Was Samuel Goodrich?
Samuel Griswold Goodrich was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut. His father was a minister. Samuel mostly taught himself, learning a lot on his own. He started working in a country store when he was young. First, he worked in Danbury, Connecticut, and later in Hartford, Connecticut.
Early Career and Publishing
From 1816 to 1822, Goodrich worked as a bookseller and publisher in Hartford. He traveled to Europe between 1823 and 1824. After his trip, he moved to Boston in 1826. In 1833, he bought land in Roxbury and built a home in Jamaica Plain.
Goodrich continued his publishing work in Boston. From 1828 to 1842, he published an illustrated yearly book called The Token. He wrote many stories and poems for this book himself. In 1841, he published some of his writings from The Token in a book called Sketches from a Students Window. The Token also featured early works by famous writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
In 1841, he started a magazine called Merry's Museum. He was the editor of this magazine until 1854.
The Peter Parley Books
Samuel Goodrich worked with his brother, Charles A. Goodrich, to write books for young people. His most famous series of books began in 1827. These books were published under the name Peter Parley. The series covered many topics, including geography, history, science, and various tales.
Goodrich wrote that he was the author or editor of about 170 books by 1857. He also said that about seven million copies of his books had been sold! Another English writer, George Mogridge, also used the name Peter Parley. However, Goodrich had used the name first.
In 1857, Goodrich wrote a book about his life called Recollections of a Lifetime. This book lists all the works he wrote or edited. It also mentions books that were falsely published under his name. Through his writing and publishing, he became very wealthy.
Political Life and Later Years
Goodrich was also involved in politics. He was a member of the Whig Party. In 1836, he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The next year, in 1837, he became a member of the Massachusetts State Senate.
From 1851 to 1853, he served as a consul in Paris, France. A consul is an official who represents their country in a foreign city. While in Paris, he had several of his books translated into French. When his time as consul ended, he received a special medal to honor his work.
Goodrich returned to America. In 1859, he published a book called Illustrated Natural History of the Animal Kingdom. He passed away in New York on May 9, 1860. He was buried in Southbury, Connecticut. Many people attended his funeral, including two hundred Sunday School children who led the procession.
Goodrich's Lasting Impact
Samuel Goodrich left a lasting mark, especially through his popular Peter Parley books.
- Street Names: Some streets in Jamaica Plain, where he lived, are named after him or his pen name. These include Peter Parley Road, Parley Avenue, and Parley Vale. There are also streets named Peter Parley Row in Berlin, CT, and Parley Road and Parley Lane in Ridgefield, CT.
- Literary Mentions: Famous authors have mentioned Peter Parley in their works.
- James Joyce mentions Peter Parley in his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
- George du Maurier mentions "Peter Parleys Natural History" in his novel "Peter Ibbetson".
- Emily Dickinson mentions "Peter Parley" in one of her poems.
- James Abbott McNeill Whistler refers to Peter Parley in his book The Gentle Art of Making Enemies.
