James Fenimore Cooper - (1789-1851)
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I. Biography James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New
Jersey, in 1789,and grew up in Cooperstown, New York, which was founded by his father. Cooper lived in the nineteenth century, in central New York, and the subject matter of his books (i.e.
American Indians and forests) comes from his experiences growing up as a young boy. His schooling included time spent at Yale University, before he was expelled for "prankish behavior" in 1805. After this, he became a
sailor in the merchant marines, as well as a midshipman in the United States Navy. After six years in the Navy, Cooper left and married Susan DeLancey, and for some time he
lived in Westchester County, New York, managing his wife's income-producing estates. James Fenimore Cooper did not actually start his writing until he was thirty years of age.
Most of his earlier works dealt with matters, settings, and attitudes in Central New York, at the time that he was growing up. Later in his career he began to write about his social
criticism of the American democracy. His later works also consisted of his abroad travels to Europe. James Fenimore Cooper has been regarded as the "first great American writer of fiction."
His most famous work is The Last of the Mohicans. Cooper died in 1851. II. Literary Works James Fenimore Cooper wrote primarily in Cooperstown, New York, which is in the central
part of the state. He also wrote in Westchester County, which is right above what is now New York City. James Fenimore Cooper was a very prolific writer, and wrote over 50 books, his most
famous being The Leatherstocking Tales. Some of these works include: III. Related Topics American Indians of Central New York, and 19th Century American Romantic writers IV. Works Cited "Cooper, James Fenimore," Microsoft (R) Encarta (R) Online Encyclopedia 2000.
This essay was submitted by a student of Marylin Dykens,
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