author
Richard Frothingham
1812–1880
A busy 19th-century New England public figure, he balanced life as a historian, newspaper editor, and local politician while writing enduring books on Charlestown and the American Revolution. His work is especially remembered for its close attention to Boston-area history and the nation’s founding years.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1812, Richard Frothingham Jr. became known as a historian, journalist, and politician deeply connected to the life of his hometown. He served in the Massachusetts legislature and was the second mayor of Charlestown, while also working as a proprietor and managing editor of The Boston Post.
Alongside his public career, he wrote substantial historical works, including The History of Charlestown, Massachusetts, History of the Siege of Boston, and The Rise of the Republic of the United States. His books focused on the Revolutionary era and on the local history of Massachusetts, helping preserve details that might otherwise have been lost.
Frothingham died in 1880, just two days before his 68th birthday. He remains a notable example of a writer whose journalism, civic service, and historical research all grew out of a strong sense of place.