Theodore Winthrop
Theodore Winthrop was an American writer born in 1828 in New Haven, Connecticut, into a prominent family with connections to the founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He received a distinguished education, attending Yale University, from which he graduated in 1848 after a brief expulsion. Following his studies, Winthrop traveled extensively in Europe and later settled in Panama, where he worked with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. His adventures in the American Northwest inspired his notable work, "The Canoe and the Saddle," published in 1862, where he vividly described the region's natural beauty.
In addition to his literary pursuits, Winthrop practiced law and published several novels and poems, often focusing on themes of history and mythology. A staunch opponent of slavery, he enlisted in the New York Seventh Regiment at the onset of the Civil War. Winthrop became the first Union soldier killed in the conflict during the Battle of Big Bethel in June 1861. His death not only elevated his status as a literary figure but also led to the posthumous publication of his works, ensuring that his contributions to American literature and his experiences as a soldier were remembered.
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Subject Terms
Theodore Winthrop
Fiction Writer
- Born: September 22, 1828
- Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut
- Died: June 10, 1861
- Place of death: Big Bethel, Virginia
Biography
Theodore Winthrop was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1828. His father, Francis Bayard Winthrop, was a descendant of John Winthrop, the founder and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In his early years, Winthrop received the best education offered in New England. At the age of fifteen he was sent to study at Yale University. However, within a year he was expelled for poor conduct. The following year, Winthrop apologized to school officials, was readmitted to the university, and finally graduated in 1848.
After graduation, Winthrop was unsure of a career path and decided to take a tour of Europe. From 1849 to 1851, he visited England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, and Italy. In 1851, Winthrop settled in Panama, where he worked for two years with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. In 1853, he left this position and returned to the United States. He then took a tour of the Northwest, traveling from California to Oregon and Washington. Winthrop described the experiences of this adventurous trip in his book, The Canoe and the Saddle: Adventures Among the Northwestern Rivers and Forests; and Isthmania (1862). This work vividly described nature, including the Columbia River, Puget Sound, and the CascadesMountains.
In 1854, Winthrop settled in New York. He began compiling his travel adventures into short stories, poems, and novels. He supported himself by establishing a career in law and was admitted to the bar in 1855. For the next several years, Winthrop committed himself to writing and his law career. He wrote numerous novels, including Cecil Dreeme (1861) and John Brent (1862). He also wrote several poems that reflected his interest in subjects such as history and mythology.
Winthrop was critical of the practice of slavery. As the Civil War approached, he opposed secession and was determined to fight to preserve the Union. In 1861, he joined the New York Seventh Regiment. After a brief military campaign in Washington, D.C., Winthrop joined the regiment of General Benjamin Butler and served as his secretary at Fort Monroe, Virginia. At this time, Winthrop published an essay in The Atlantic Monthly, “Our March to Washington.” This essay, which portrayed the hardships faced by the troops, was met with great success.
Soon after this publication, Winthrop fought in the Battle of Big Bethel in June, 1861. He was shot through the heart and became the first Union soldier killed in the Civil War. Winthrop’s death made him famous and drew attention to his literary works. Soon after his death, Winthrop’s novels were published by several Boston publishing houses. In 1884, Winthrop’s sister, Laura Winthrop Johnson, collected and published his poems in the biographical book The Life and Poems of Theodore Winthrop.