Horatio Alger Jr.
From Philosopedia.org
Alger, Horatio Jr. (1832—1899)
Author of Ragged Dick (1867–1868), Alger was reared by strict Puritan parents, but in 1864 he became a Unitarian minister in the Cape Cod town of Brewster, Massachusetts.
However, accused of “the abominable and revolting crime of unnatural familiarity with boys,” namely fifteen-year-old John Clark and his thirteen-year-old friend, Thomas Crocker, Alger left town for New York City. Concentrating upon his writing although allegedly “adopting” several youngsters “informally” without any scandals, he wrote popular novels, over twenty million copies of which have been sold. The 130 titles were based on the principle that if a boy struggles against poverty and temptation, he will eventually achieve wealth and fame.
His father, Horatio Alger Sr., was a Unitarian minister in several small Massachusetts areas. Alger is buried at Glenwood Cemetery, ten miles southwest of Boston in South Natick. The pallbearers included seven respected citizens, all former orphan boys whom Alger had befriended.
