I was born and raised in New York City, the youngest of eleven children of a merchant family. I was always fascinated by the upper class of New York City. I was sometimes a rebellious child, because I would often sneak out of family prayer meetings to attend the local theater. I trained myself in a law office rather than follow my older brothers to nearby Columbia College. On my free time, I would read and wander around the Hudson River Valley. This area was influenced by local folklore and legends. It soon served as an inspiration for my later writings . The beginning of my writing career ; When I was nineteen years old I began to contribute letters using the name Jonathan Oldstyle to a news-paper owned by my brother , Peter. Upon returning from Europe, I took up law classes . In 1806, I just about passed the bar examination. In 1807, I started a literary magazine, Salmagundi. The content of the magazine included critical comments on New York’s culture and politics.The success of Salmagundi built my reputation outside New York. My highly popular collection of short pieces poked fun at the political, social, and cultural life of the city. Following the War of 1812, I returned to England for a brief, unsuccessful fling at running a family-owned business. |