Stephen Cullen Carpenter facts for kids

Stephen Cullen Carpenter (born in 1752, died in 1830) was a busy writer, reporter, and editor. He also helped start newspapers and magazines. He was from Ireland but moved to America. Before coming to the United States, he had some financial trouble while working for the British Army in India.

Stephen Carpenter's Early Life and Career

Stephen Cullen Carpenter was born in Ireland in 1752. He began his career in journalism in London, England. There, he worked as a reporter, covering important meetings in the British Parliament.

He also wrote and published two books while in London. These books came out in 1795 and 1798. For these books, he used a different name, called a "pen name." His pen name was Donald Campbell.

Moving to America and Charleston

Around 1802 or 1803, Stephen Carpenter moved to the United States. He settled in a city called Charleston, South Carolina. In Charleston, he helped start a newspaper called the Charleston Courier.

This newspaper supported the Federalist Party. This was one of the first political parties in the United States. Carpenter became the very first editor of the Charleston Courier. He worked as the editor until 1806.

A Critic of Theater

Charleston was an important place for theater when Carpenter lived there. He became the first major drama critic in the city. This meant he wrote reviews and shared his opinions about plays and performances.

In 1805, he started his own publication. It was called the Monthly Register, Magazine, and Review of the United States. When he moved to New York in 1806, he took this magazine with him.

New York and Later Works

After about three years in Charleston, Carpenter moved to New York City. He changed his political views and started working for a different newspaper. From 1806 to 1807, he was the editor of a newspaper called the People's Friend.

On December 26, 1808, Stephen Carpenter married Ann Osborne. They were married at Trinity Church Parish in New York City.

Carpenter continued to write many works. In 1809, he wrote a two-volume book called Memoirs of the Hon. Thomas Jefferson. This book was published in New York. He also edited a magazine called Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor. Four volumes of this magazine were published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1810 and 1811. He wrote several other literary works too.

Around 1812, it is believed that Carpenter moved to Washington, D.C.. He likely moved there because he got a job with the government.

Stephen Carpenter's Final Years

Stephen Cullen Carpenter passed away in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 24, 1830. He was 78 years old when he died. Newspapers in the Southern United States reported his death. They said he had suffered from paralysis for six years before he died.