author
James Nelson Barker
1784–1858
A soldier, playwright, and public servant in early America, he helped shape a distinctly American stage. He is best remembered for writing The Indian Princess and for a career that also took him through the War of 1812, city politics, and federal office.
1 Audiobook
The Indian Princess; Or, La Belle Sauvage
by James Nelson Barker
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1784, James Nelson Barker built an unusually varied life in literature and public service. Reliable reference sources describe him as an American playwright, soldier, and politician; he served in the War of 1812, rose to the rank of major, and later became mayor of Philadelphia.
As a writer, Barker is chiefly remembered for his early American plays, especially The Indian Princess (1808), a work often noted for bringing American subject matter to the stage. Reference works also credit him with writing ten plays, with Superstition and How to Try a Lover among the titles most often singled out.
Later in life, Barker continued in government service after his years in local politics. Sources indicate that President Martin Van Buren appointed him comptroller of the U.S. Treasury in 1838, and he remained connected with Treasury work for much of the rest of his career until his death in 1858.