Author. He is best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California. Born in Albany, New York, he moved to California at the age of 18. After many different jobs, he started writing poeetry and prose. Eventually he became editor of The Overland Monthly,a new literary magazine, in which he finally struck lucky with His story, "The Luck of Roaring Camp," making him famous nationwide. For a year, Harte served as professor at the University of California, and then returned to his native State, living in New York City until 1878. He continued to write poetry and prose and enjoyed wide-spread popularity. As an established literary figure, he was appointed to the position of United States Consul in the town of Krefeld, Germany in 1878, and Glasgow, Scotland in 1880. In 1885 he settled in London. During the thirty years he spent in Europe, he never abandoned writing, and maintained a prodigious output of stories that retained the freshness of his earlier work. He died in England in 1902 and is buried at Frimley. In 1987 he appeared on a $5 United States Postage stamp, as part of the "Great Americans" Series of issues.

Author. He is best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California. Born in Albany, New York, he moved to California at the age of 18. After many different jobs, he started writing poeetry and prose. Eventually he became editor of The Overland Monthly,a new literary magazine, in which he finally struck lucky with His story, "The Luck of Roaring Camp," making him famous nationwide. For a year, Harte served as professor at the University of California, and then returned to his native State, living in New York City until 1878. He continued to write poetry and prose and enjoyed wide-spread popularity. As an established literary figure, he was appointed to the position of United States Consul in the town of Krefeld, Germany in 1878, and Glasgow, Scotland in 1880. In 1885 he settled in London. During the thirty years he spent in Europe, he never abandoned writing, and maintained a prodigious output of stories that retained the freshness of his earlier work. He died in England in 1902 and is buried at Frimley. In 1987 he appeared on a $5 United States Postage stamp, as part of the "Great Americans" Series of issues.

Bio by: Stephen Tweed