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Last edited by OnFrATa
October 31, 2023 | History
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Horatio Alger, Jr.

Horatio Alger, Jr. was a prolific 19th-century American author, most famous for his novels following the adventures of bootblacks, newsboys, peddlers, buskers, and other impoverished children in their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of respectable middle-class security and comfort. His novels were hugely popular in their day.

Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister, Alger entered Harvard University at the age of 16. Following graduation, he briefly worked in education before touring Europe for almost a year. He then entered the Harvard Divinity School, and, in 1864, took a position at a Unitarian church in Brewster, Massachusetts. Two years later, he resigned following allegations he'd molested two teenage boys. He subsequently retired from the ministry entirely and moved to New York City where he formed an association with the Newsboys Lodging House and other agencies offering aid to impoverished children. His sympathy for the working boys of the city, coupled with the moral values learned at home, were the basis of his many juvenile "rags to riches" novels. He died in 1899.1

Photo of Horatio Alger, Jr.

Born 13 January 1832
Died 18 July 1899

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  • Cover of: The Erie train boy

    Cover of edition erietrainboyillu00alge Cover of edition erietrainboy00alge Cover of edition erietrainboy00algegoog First published in 1890 — 26 editions
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  • Cover of: Ragged Dick: and Mark, the match boy.

    Cover of edition raggeddickorstr00algegoog Cover of edition raggeddickmarkma00alge Cover of edition raggeddickorstre0000alge_c1o1 Cover of edition raggeddick00hora Cover of edition raggeddickorstr000alge Cover of edition raggeddickorstre00alge_119 First published in 1868 — 26 editions
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  • Cover of: Paul the peddler: or, The adventures of a young street merchant

    Cover of edition paulpeddleroradv00alge Cover of edition paulpeddlerorfor00alge First published in 1871 — 18 editions
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  • Cover of: Bound to Rise

    First published in 1873 — 15 editions
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  • Cover of: store boy: or, The fortunes of Ben Barclay.

    First published in 1890 — 15 editions
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  • Cover of: The Cash Boy

    First published in 1900 — 15 editions
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  • Cover of: Brave and Bold: The Fortunes of Robert Rushton

    First published in 1900 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Try And Trust

    First published in 1800 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Adrift in New York; or, Tom and Florence braving the world

    Cover of edition adriftinnewyorko00algeuoft First published in 1900 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Struggling upward: or, Luke Larkin's luck

    Cover of edition strugglingupward00alge Cover of edition strugglingupwar000alge Cover of edition strugglingupward00alge_0 First published in 1890 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Driven from home: or, Carl Crawford's experience

    Cover of edition drivenfromhomeor00algeuoft First published in 1906 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Paul Prescott's charge: a story for boys

    Cover of edition paulprescottscha00alge_337 First published in 1996 — 13 editions
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  • Cover of: Making his way: or, Frank Courtney's struggle upward.

    Cover of edition makinghiswayorfr0000alge First published in 1800 — 12 editions
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  • Cover of: Phil, the fiddler: or, The story of a young street musician

    Cover of edition philthefiddler00algerich First published in 1872 — 12 editions
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  • Cover of: Walter Sherwood's Probation

    First published in 1897 — 11 editions
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  • Cover of: Helping Himself (Large Print Edition)

    First published in 1900 — 11 editions
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  • Cover of: Only an Irish Boy

    First published in 1911 — 11 editions
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  • Cover of: Timothy Crump's Ward: The New Years Loan and What Became of It

    First published in 1866 — 11 editions
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  • Cover of: Risen from the ranks: or, Harry Walton's success.

    First published in 1874 — 11 editions
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  • Cover of: Do and Dare [EasyRead Edition]

    First published in 2006 — 10 editions
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Photo of Horatio Alger, Jr.

Born 13 January 1832
Died 18 July 1899

Subjects

Fiction, Conduct of life, History, Juvenile fiction, Orphans, Boys, Inheritance and succession, Fiction, historical, general, Adventure and adventurers, Friendship, Swindlers and swindling, Success, Diligence, Conduct of life in fiction, Youth, New york (n.y.), fiction, Poverty, Gold mines and mining, Fiction, general, Juvenile literature, Street children, Young men, Children's fiction, Criminals, Fiction, coming of age

Places

New York (N.Y.), New York (State), California, United States, New York, West (U.S.), New England, Australia, Chicago (Ill.), Colorado, Boston (Mass.), Chicago, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Cincinnati (Ohio), East (U.S.), Illinois, India, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, Philadelphia (Pa.)

People

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), Horatio Alger (1832-1899), James A. Garfield (1831-1881), Daniel Webster (1782-1852), Horatio Alger Jr. (1832-1899)

Time

19th century, 1865-1898, 1775-1865, 1865-, Civil War, 1861-1865, 1846-1850, 1860-1890, 1890-1945, Late 19th century

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Alternative names

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History

Download catalog record: RDF / JSON
October 31, 2023 Edited by OnFrATa merge authors
May 16, 2023 Edited by Drini merge authors
July 30, 2022 Edited by Tom Morris merge authors
July 30, 2022 Edited by Tom Morris merge authors
April 1, 2008 Created by an anonymous user initial import