Washington Irving

Date of Birth: April 3, 1783

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Death: November 28, 1859

Place of Death: Sunnyside, Tarrytown, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*Scottish (father)
*Cornish (mother)

Washington Irving was an American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat. He wrote the stories “Rip Van Winkle” (1819) and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (1820), in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. He was also credited as Geoffrey Crayon and Diedrich Knickerbocker, the latter a Dutch-American historian character he created. He was Minister to Spain, from 1842 to 1846.

Washington was the son of Sarah (Saunders) and William Irving. While he often wrote of Dutch-American characters, he was not of Dutch descent. His father was from Quholm, Shapinsay, Orkney, Scotland. His mother was from Falmouth, Cornwall, England. Among his siblings were William Irving, a Democratic-Republican politician, who was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, from January 22, 1814 to March 3, 1819, and physician, author, and Democratic-Republican politician Peter Irving.

Washington’s paternal grandfather was named Magnus Irving (the son of Magnus Irving). Washington’s grandfather Magnus was born in Shapinsay, Orkney. Washington’s great-grandfather Magnus was the son of Thomas Irving.

Washington’s paternal grandmother was named Catharine Williamson.

Washington’s maternal grandfather was named John Saunders.

Washington’s maternal grandmother was named Anna Kent.

Sources: Genealogies of Washington Irving – https://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com