Ticknor, George, 1791-1871

Dates

• Existence: 1791 - 1871

Biography

George Ticknor was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 1, 1791. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1807, but continued his study of Latin and Greek privately. He was admitted to the bar in 1813, but realized soon after that he was attracted more to classics than to the law. In 1815, he sailed for England and remained in Europe for the next four years where he moved among society, literary, and scientific circles and spent twenty months at the University of Göttingen in Germany. In 1816, he was offered a professorship in French and Spanish at Harvard College. After spending time in Spain he accepted the position in 1819, holding it until 1835, after which he returned to Europe. Upon Ticknors return to the US in 1838, he wrote "History of Spanish Literature" which was published in 1849. From 1823 to 1832, he was a trustee of the Boston Athenaeum and in 1852, helped to establish the Boston Public Library on which board he served from 1852-1866. George Ticknor died on January 26, 1871.

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