Biography

Joel Tyler Headley was a writer, historian, and politician in New York State. Headley graduated from Union College in 1839 before studying at the Auburn Theological Seminary. Though he initially intended to become a reverend, poor health prevented him from preaching, and he turned to writing. Living in the Adirondacks, he wrote a series of histories (listed below). In 1846, Headley became an editor of the New York Tribune, and he wrote a series of articles for Harper's Magazine. In 1855, Headley was elected to the New York State Assembly as a representative from Orange County on the American Party ticket, and from 1856-1857 he served as the Secretary of State of New York. Headley died in Newburgh, NY in 1897. Below is a list of his works, as cited from Appleton's Encyclopedia:
"The results of his wanderings were published in letters to the New York papers, which were afterward issued in book-form under the title of "The Adirondacks, or Life in the Woods" (New York, 1849). This volume first attracted attention to the Adirondack region. Shortly afterward, in a series of articles in "Harper's Magazine," he described the adventures of Lieutenant Strain's party, which was sent by the United States government to explore a route for a canal across the isthmus of Darien. These articles were reissued in a volume in 1885. His other works include "Napoleon and his Marshals," which was the first American book that was issued by the house of Scribner and Co. (2 vols., New York, 1846); "Washington and his Generals " (1847); " Life of Cromwell" (1848); " Sacred Scenes and Characters," illustrated by Darley (1849);" Life of Washington," which reached a sale of over 100,000 copies (1857); " Life of Havelock" (1859); "Chaplains of the Revolution" (1861); "The Great Rebellion" (2 vols., 1864); "Grant and Sherman, their Campaigns and Generals" (1865); " Farragut and our Naval Commanders" (1867); "Sacred Heroes and Martyrs " (1865); and "The Achievements of Stanley and other African Explorers," including Livingstone, Cameron, and Baker (1877)."