Nathaniel Hawthorne

Birth Name: Nathaniel Hathorne

Date of Birth: July 4, 1804

Place of Birth: Salem, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Death: May 19, 1864

Place of Death: Plymouth, New Hampshire, U.S.

Ethnicity: English

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer. Usually centering New England, his works include Fanshawe, Twice-Told Tales, a collection of his short stories; The Scarlet Letter, and The House of the Seven Gables. Part of the Romantic movement and its dark romanticism, his writing was psychologically complex, and focused on history, morality and moral metaphors and messages; religion, and the inherent evil of humanity. Descended form Puritans, he is considered to have been anti-Puritan in his themes. He also worked at the Boston Custom House, and was involved in the transcendentalist community Brook Farm. He wrote an election-time biography of U.S. President Franklin Pierce, who was his college friend; the president appointed Nathaniel U.S. consul in Liverpool during his administration, from 1853 to 1857.

Nathaniel was the son of Elizabeth Clarke (Manning) and Nathaniel Hathorne, a sea captain, who was a member of the East India Marine Society, and died in Dutch Suriname. His sister was poet, and fiction and non-fiction author Elizabeth Manning Hawthorne. He was of entirely Colonial American (English) descent. He was partly raised in Raymond, Maine, near Sebago Lake. Nathaniel added a “w” to his surname, likely in his 20s.

Nathaniel was married to painter and illustrator Sophia Hawthorne, until his death, with whom he had three children. Sophia was the daughter of dentist Nathaniel Peabody, and was from the famous Peabody family of Massachusetts. The two resided in The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, also living in Salem, the Berkshires, and The Wayside in Cocord. Their children included writer and journalist Julian Hawthorne and Dominican nun Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, who was a writer, social worker, and founder of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne. Rose was a convert to Catholicism.

Nathaniel’s paternal grandfather was Daniel Hathorne (the son of Joseph Hathorne and Sarah Bowditch). Daniel was born in Massachusetts. Joseph was the son of John Hathorne and Ruth Gardner. John was a merchant and magistrate of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Salem, Massachusetts, who oversaw the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. John’s father, Nathaniel’s great-great-great-grandfather, was politician, magistrate, judge, and merchant William Hathorne, who was born in Bray, Berkshire, England, and emigrated to the U.S. on the ship Arbella; he was Commissioner for Massachusetts Bay and Speaker of the General Court. John’s other grandparents were also English. Nathaniel’s great-grandmother Sarah was the daughter of Capt. William Bowditch, Jr. and Mary Gardner, who were also of English origin. Through his Bowditch line, Nathaniel was a second cousin, once removed, of mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch, and a third cousin, five times removed, of actors David Morse and Jesse Williams; the latter being Nathaniel Bowditch’s great-great-great-great-grandson.

Nathaniel’s paternal grandmother was Rachel Phelps (the daughter of Jonathan Phelps and Judith Cox). Rachel was born in Massachusetts. Jonathan was the son of Henry Phelps and Rachel Guppy. Judith was the daughter of Thomas Cox, Jr. and Judith Eliott.

Nathaniel’s maternal grandfather was Richard Manning (the son of John Manning and Ruth Potter). Richard was born in Massachusetts, and was a blacksmith, a livery manager, and the successful owner of the Boston to Salem Coach line. John was the son of Thomas Manning, who was born in Dartmouth, Devon, England, and of Mary Giddings. Ruth was the daughter of Anthony Potter, Jr. and Martha Dresser.

Nathaniel’s maternal grandmother was Miriam Lord (the daughter of Thomas Lord and Elizabeth Clarke). Miriam was born in Massachusetts. Thomas was the son of John Lord and Elizabeth Clarke. Nathaniel’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was the daughter of John Clarke and Sarah Shrimpton.

Sources: Genealogies of Nathaniel Hawthorne – https://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com