George Swett Appleton
August 11, 1821
July 8, 1878 (aged 56)
5
Daniel Appleton
Hannah Adams
William Henry Appleton (brother)
Early life[edit]
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.[3]
Appleton received a liberal education in New York and then traveled abroad to study, particularly in Leipzig, Germany.[2]
Career[edit]
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.[4] Employees included Joseph Sabin.[5]
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.[2][6][7]
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. He was also responsible for the Picturesque America volumes.[8]
In Paris in 1846, he married Caroline Archer Osgood (b. 1830),[9] the daughter of Robert H. Osgood of Salem, Massachusetts[10] and sister of Rear Commodore[11] Franklin Osgood (1828-1888) of the New York Yacht Club.[6] Together they had two daughters and three sons:[2]
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.[2]
Appleton died of cerebro-spinal meningitis on July 8, 1878, at the home of his brother in Riverdale, Bronx.[2][14][15] His funeral was held at Grace Church.[6][16][17]