Publisher's Synopsis
Richard Harding Davis (April 18, 1864 - April 11, 1916) was an American journalist and writer of fiction and drama, known foremost as the first American war correspondent to cover the Spanish-American War, the Second Boer War, and the First World War.His writing greatly assisted the political career of Theodore Roosevelt and he also played a major role in the evolution of the American magazine. His influence extended to the world of fashion and he is credited with making the clean-shaven look popular among men at the turn of the 20th century. Davis was born on April 18, 1864 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.His mother Rebecca Harding Davis was a prominent writer in her day. His father, Lemuel Clarke Davis, was himself a journalist and edited the Philadelphia Public Ledger. As a young man, Davis attended the Episcopal Academy. In 1882, after an unhappy year at Swarthmore College, Davis transferred to Lehigh University, where his uncle, H. Wilson Harding, was a professor.While at Lehigh, Davis published his first book, The Adventures of My Freshman (1884), a collection of short stories. Many of the stories had originally appeared in the student magazine the Lehigh Burr. In 1885, Davis transferred to Johns Hopkins University. After college, his father helped him gain his first position as a journalist at the Philadelphia Record but he was soon dismissed. After another brief position at the Philadelphia Press, Davis accepted a better-paying position at the New York Evening Sun where he gained attention for his flamboyant style and his writing on controversial subjects such as abortion, suicide and execution.He first attracted attention in May to June 1889, by reporting on the devastation of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, following the infamous flood and added to his reputation by reporting on other noteworthy events such as the first electrocution of a criminal (the execution of William Kemmler in 1890)...... Frederick Coffay Yohn (February 8, 1875 - June 6, 1933), often recognized only by his initials, F. C. Yohn, was an artist and magazine illustrator.Yohn's work appeared in publications including Scribner's Magazine, Harper's Magazine, and Collier's Weekly. Books he illustrated included Jack London's A Daughter of the Snows, Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Dawn of a To-morrow and Henry Cabot Lodge's Story of the American Revolution. He studied at the Indianapolis Art School during his first student year and then studied at the Art Students League of New York under Henry Siddons Mowbray (1858-1928). Mowbray studied at the Atelier of Léon Bonnat in Paris. Yohn often specialized in historical military themes, especially of the American Revolution, as well as the First World War. He designed the 2 cent US Postal Service stamp in 1929 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of George Rogers Clark's Victory over the British at Sackville. He is best known for his painting of George Washington at Valley Forge.
