Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Ancestry

Jordan-Marie SmithHayley CowanAnna Ormond

Rebecca StephensonBryan Hernandez

Not Just Average

His line of ancestors were heavily in the army, navy and judicial government. Many were high ranking officials ranging from majors to sea captains and judges (Paternal).Hawthorne had ancestors who were religious and some were supremacists which gave him a view of two different worlds (Paternal). Hawthorne represented past family members in several of his works, and not always in a good way (Paternal).

Ahoy, New World!

The first of the Hathornes to come to America was William Hathorne, Hawthorne’s great-great-great grandfather. He moved to Salem and became a leader in the community. He became a magistrate and left a large fortune to his son (Biography).Major William Hawthorne received his title as a result of his talent for removing Indians from certain territories (Paternal).

A Sad Fate for Quakers

William Hathorne was known for his passionate persecution against the Quaker population (Biography). He was known first and foremost for the flogging of Ann Coleman, a Quaker (Paternal). Hawthorne may have been influenced by the persecution of his grandmother, Rachel Phelps Hathorne, in Massachusetts. She and her first husband held meetings in their Quaker home, which was forbidden at the time, and so Rachel was punished by being sent to jail (Clark).

A Sad Fate for Quakers cont…

Hawthorne may have been influenced by the persecution of his grandmother, Rachel Phelps Hathorne, in Massachusetts. She and her first husband held meetings in their Quaker home, which was forbidden at the time, and so Rachel was punished by being sent to jail (Clark).

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Witches!!!

Hawthorne’s great-great grandfather, John Hathorne, was well-known for being a judge during the Salem Witch Trials (Paternal).

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Yo ho! Yo ho, a sailor’s life for me!

The Hathorne family eventually became recognized as men of the sea. One relative managed to escape being a prisoner of the British naval forces while he was serving during the Revolutionary War (Biography).Hawthorne’s grandfather on his paternal side, Daniel Hathorne, was a Revolutionary War hero, and also had a song dedicated to him titled “Bold Hathorne” (Paternal).

A sailor’s life cont…

Daniel Hathorne was serving as a privateer during a naval battle in the seas of Portugal (Biography). Hawthorne’s father was a man of the sea who died from yellow fever when he was only four years old (Paternal).

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The Letter

The reason for the additional “w” in Hawthorne’s name remains a mystery, though some theorize that he added it to break from the Hathorne’s, whose legacy he was not so proud of (Paternal). W

Works Cited

“Biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne.” Great Authors of 19th Century Literature. LoveToKnow Corp., 2002. <http://www.2020site.org/literature/nathaniel_hawthorne.html>. 3 Nov. 2009.

Clark, Nancy B. “Nathaniel Hawthorne: Hawthorne’s Struggle and Romance with Salem.” Literary Traveler. Web. 5 Nov. 2009

Works Cited cont…

“The Paternal Ancestors of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Introduction.” Hawthorne in Salem. North Shore Community College. Web. 04 Nov. 2009. <http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/notes/copyright.html>.