George Swett Appleton

George Swett Appleton was born on August 11, 1821, in Andover, Massachusetts. He was the third son of eight children born to Daniel Appleton (1785–1849) and Hannah Adams (1791–1859), the daughter of John Adams and Dorcas Falkner.{{cite book|last1=Cutter|first1=William Richard|title=New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation|date=1913|publisher=Lewis Historical Publishing Company|url=https://archive.org/details/newenglandfamili01cutt_0|page=[https://archive.org/details/newenglandfamili01cutt_0/page/179 179]|access-date=22 June 2017|language=en}}

Appleton received a liberal education in New York and then traveled abroad to study, particularly in Leipzig, Germany.

After his studies in Germany, he returned to the United States and for a number of years was an independent publisher and a book seller in Philadelphia.{{NIE|wstitle=Appleton, George Swett|year=1905 |inline=1}} Employees included Joseph Sabin, later compiler of Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America{{citation |title=Death of Joseph Sabin |work=New York Times |year=1881 |url=https://archive.org/stream/Nyt-DeathOfJosephSabin1881#page/n0/mode/1up }}

In 1860, he joined the family publishing business, D. Appleton & Company, with his brothers and acted as the de facto press agent of the firm.{{cite book|title=American Revisions and Additions to the Encyclopaedia Britannica|date=1892|publisher=R.S. Peale & Company|url=https://archive.org/details/americanrevisio01unkngoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/americanrevisio01unkngoog/page/n396 1684]|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}

In 1865, George moved his family to New York and became a partner with his three brothers, John, William, and Sidney in his father's publishing business, D. Appleton & Company. He was a scholar and art connoisseur, and acted as the literary adviser to the firm. Appletons' Art Journal and the Popular Science Monthly were planned by him.{{cite BDA1906 |wstitle= Appleton, George Swett |volume= 1 |page= 130 |short=1}} He was also responsible for the Picturesque America volumes.{{cite book|last1=Wolfe|first1=Gerard R.|title=The House of Appleton|url=https://archive.org/details/houseofappletonh0000wolf|url-access=registration|date=1981|publisher=The Scarecrow Press|location=Metuchen, N.J.|page=[https://archive.org/details/houseofappletonh0000wolf/page/187 187]}}

In Paris in 1846, he married Caroline Archer Osgood (b. 1830),{{cite book|title=Appleton's Annual Cyclopædia and Register of Important Events of the Year ...|date=1890|publisher=D. Appleton & Company|page=17|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hZRRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA17|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}} the daughter of Robert H. Osgood of Salem, Massachusetts{{cite news|title=New-York City – The Normal Schools – Degrees Conferred upon Graduates – Great Meeting in the Tabernacle |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1855/06/21/archives/newyork-city-the-normal-schools-degrees-conferred-upon.html|access-date=23 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=21 June 1855}} and sister of Rear CommodoreNew York Herald. February 4, 1871 Franklin Osgood (1828-1888) of the New York Yacht Club.{{cite book|title=George Swett Appleton|date=July 27, 1878|publisher=The Publishers Weekly {{!}} F. Leypoldt|page=116|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WBEYAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA116|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}} Together they had two daughters and three sons:

• Ellina Appleton (b. 1848), who married William A. Fraser in 1867.
• Walter Stone Appleton (b. 1849), who married Annie P. Beach, the daughter of W. A. Beach, of Troy.
• Emma Appleton (b. 1852), who married Madan, a Cuban.{{cite book|title=Social Register, New York|date=1898|publisher=Social Register Association|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y2lIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA456|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}
• George Swett Appleton (1854–1886), who worked at D. Appleton & Co.{{cite book|last=Harvard College (1780-1875) Class of 1899|title=Secretary's report|date=1899|publisher=Geo. H. Ellis|page=18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjAmAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}
• Francis Appleton (b. 1856)

He was a member of the Century Association in New York, of which his brothers were founders, and a member of Grace Church. Before his death, he resided at 17 East 32nd Street in Manhattan.

Appleton died of cerebro-spinal meningitis on July 8, 1878, at the home of his brother in Riverdale, Bronx.{{cite news|title=George Swett Appleton, The Publisher.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1878/07/07/archives/george-swett-appleton-the-publisher.html|access-date=23 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=7 July 1878}}{{cite news|title=Death of Mr. G.S. Appleton|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1878/07/09/archives/death-of-mr-gs-appleton.html|access-date=23 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=9 July 1878}}{{cite news|title=The Late George S. Appleton.; Address to the Family of the Deceased By the Employees of D. Appleton & Co.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1878/07/13/archives/the-late-george-s-appleton-address-to-the-family-of-the-deceased-by.html|access-date=23 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=13 July 1878}} His funeral was held at Grace Church.{{cite book|title=The American Bookseller: A Semi-monthly Journal Devoted to the Interests of the Book, Stationery, News, and Music Trades|date=1878|publisher=American News Company|page=76|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EsspAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA76|access-date=23 June 2017|language=en}}{{cite news|title=George S. Appleton's Will – He Appoints His Brothers Executors of His Estate, and Bequeaths Its Income for Life to His Widow|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1878/08/06/archives/george-s-appletons-will-he-appoints-his-brothers-executors-of-his.html|access-date=23 June 2017|work=The New York Times|date=6 August 1878}}

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Category:1821 births

Category:1878 deaths

Category:Appleton family

Category:American book publishers (people)

Category:People from Andover, Massachusetts

Category:19th-century American businesspeople