Timothy Flint (1780-1840)

 

Timothy Flint was born in Reading, Massachusetts on July 11, 1780. After graduation from Harvard College in 1800, Flint went on to study theology for two years and soon was ordained pastor of the Congregational church in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Flint enjoyed science and running experiments always intrigued him, however, after one misunderstood experiment, Flint was falsely being accused of counterfeiting coins. After this incident, in 1814, he relinquished his charge as pastor of the congregation in Massachusetts and set out to preach the gossip throughout New England and eventually became a missionary in the Mississippi Valley. In 1826 he published his adventures throughout the Mississippi River Valley entitled, "Recollections of the Last Ten Years Passed in the Valley of the Mississippi." Shortly after this publication he went on to write "Francis Berrian, or the Mexican Patriot" and "The Geography and History of the Mississippi Valley"(1827). Some of his other work he is known for "Arthur Clenning"(1828), "Celibacy Vanquished, or the Old Bachelor Reclaimed"(1828), "The Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie, of Kentucky"(1831), and "Lectures Upon Natural History, Geology, Chemistry, the Application of Steam, and Interesting Discoveries in the Arts"(1832)

As an editor he contributed to the New York "Knickerbocker Magazine" and Cincinnati "Western Monthly Magazine."

In Flints later years, he spent some time by the Red River in Louisiana, however, his failing health cause to return to New England. He spent the remainder of his days in Reading were his health began to rapidly decline. He past away on August 18, 1840.

Information from The National Cyclopedia of American Biography under Flint, Timothy. pages 364-365.

 

Biography of some of Timothy Flint's works and links to digitized works online

Secondary Sources for Timothy Flint

Folsom, James K. Timothy Flint. New York : Twayne Publishers, 1965.

Kirkpatrick, John Ervin. Timothy Flint, Pioneer, Missionary, Author, Editor, 1780-1840. New York : Burt Franklin, 1968.

 

Primary Sources for Timothy Flint

The Bachelor Reclaimed or Celibacy Vanquished. Philadelphia : Key & Biddle, 1834

Francis Berrian or the Mexican Patriot. Boston : Cummings, Hillard, and Co., 1826. Digitized online at University of Virginia Library http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/tf.htm

George Mason, the Young Backwoodsman; or, ‘Don't Give Up the Ship.' A Story of Mississippi . Boston : Hilliard, Gray, Little, and Wilkins, 1829. Digitized online at University of Virginia Library http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/tf.htm

Indian Wars of the West. Cincinnati : E.H. Flint, 1833. Digitized online at Library of Congress's The First American West: The Ohio River Valley , 1750-1820 . http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/icuhtml//fawhome.html

The Life and Adventures of Arthur Clenning . Vol. 1 & 2. Philadelphia : Towar & Hogan, No. 255, Market Street , 1828. Digitized online at University of Virginia Library http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/tf.htm

The Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie, of Kentucky . Cincinnati : John H. Wood, 1831. Digitized online at Library of Congress's The First American West: The Ohio River Valley , 1750-1820 . http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award99/icuhtml//fawhome.html

Recollections of the Last Ten Years, Passed in Occasional Residence and Journeyings in the Valley of the Mississippi . Boston : Cummings, Hillard, and Company, 1826. Digitized online at http://gdz-srv3.sub.uni-goettingen.de/sub/digbib/loader?did=D1727

The Shoshonee Valley ; A Romance. Vol. 1 & 2. Cincinnati : E.H. Flint, 1830. Digitized online at University of Virginia Library http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/tf.htm

 

HOME / TIMOTHY FLINT / JAMES HALL / WILLIAM D. GALLAGHER / MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS

Last updated May 2, 2005