Joel Barlow

Poet

Birthday March 24, 1754

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace Redding, CT

DEATH DATE Dec 24, 1814 (60)

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About

An American poet and political figure, he is famous for his nine-volume poetic work, Vision of Columbus, and for his poem, The Hasty Pudding. Also an important diplomat, he helped draft the Treaty of Tripoli.

Before Fame

He served as a chaplain in the Revolutionary Army. After the war ended, he started a weekly paper called the American Mercury.

Trivia

He, John Trumbull, and Timothy Dwight became known collectively as the "Hartford Wits."

Family Life

He grew up in what was then the Connecticut Colony. He died of pneumonia in 1812 while traveling through Poland.

Associated With

He was a close friend of the philosopher Thomas Paine, and he assisted in the publishing of Paine's famous work, The Age of Reason.