author
James Nelson Barker
1784–1858
A lively figure in early American culture, this Philadelphia writer moved easily between the stage, public office, and military service. He is best remembered for helping shape a distinctly American drama in the early 1800s.
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 career as a playwright, soldier, and politician. He wrote around ten plays and became known as one of the early American dramatists who wanted the young nation to develop its own literary voice rather than rely entirely on British models.
His best-known works include The Indian Princess (1808), often noted as an early American play on a Native American theme, and Superstition (1824). Beyond the theater, he served in the War of 1812, rising to the rank of major, and he also became mayor of Philadelphia.
Later in life, Barker held federal government posts, including service in the Treasury Department after being appointed comptroller of the Treasury in 1838. He died in 1858, leaving behind a career that linked literature, public service, and the civic life of the early United States.