Francis C. (Francis Channing) Woodworth

Born in Colchester, Connecticut, Francis Channing Woodworth (1812–1859) was an American writer, printer, and minister. Sources agree that he began his working life in printing, and later became a preacher before leaving the ministry because of poor health. He was also a nephew of the poet Samuel Woodworth.

Woodworth is chiefly remembered for writing for children and young readers. Catalog and bibliography records show a long list of juvenile titles connected with his name, including The Holiday Book, Birds and Beasts, A Budget of Willow Lane Stories, and other story collections and instructive works for young audiences. He also wrote under the pen name Theodore Tinker.

Some older reference sources add that he studied at Oneida Institute and graduated from Union Theological Seminary in 1840, though the basic biographical summaries available online are briefer on those points. He died on June 5, 1859. I wasn’t able to confirm a suitable portrait image from the pages I checked, so none is included here.