WEEKS wan:, Mason Locke, American Protestant Episcopal clergyman: b. Maryland, about 1760; d. Beaufort, S. C., 23 May !V.'S. He began the study of medicine, but gave it up and went to London. where he was educated for the clerical profession, but found no bishop in Eng land to admit him to holy orders. was then no Anglican bishop in America, and the professional plans of Weems were obstructed by peculiar difficulties (For an account of them consult McMaster's 'History of the People of the United States,' Vol 1). Returning to this country, he preached at different places, appar ently never having a regular charge, although it has been said that the rectorship of Mount Ver non parish (there was no such parish) was held by him before the Revolution, as claimed by himself ; also that he officiated in the old Pohick Church, of which Washington was an attendant. which indeed he may have done, but not until long after Washington's attendance there had ceased. About 1790 he became a book agent for Mathew Carey (q.v.), and traveled through the South selling works, some of which were his own. He made himself popular by exercising
his talents for comedy and his skill with the violin, probably diverting and (throng% his ser mons) exhorting the people by turns. A book of his own writing which he offered for sale was 'The Drunkard's Looking Glass' (6th ed., 1818). His 'Life of Washington,' by which be is best known, first appeared in 180Q and dur ing the 19th century the number of its editions exceeded 70. The traditional conception of Washington rests mainly upon this work, as do the story of the cherry-tree and other anec dotes which historians reject, most of which first appeared in the 5th edition (1806). His other publications, all more or less tawdry and inaccurate, include 'Life of General Francis Marion> (1805); 'The Philanthropist' (10th ed., 1809); 'God's Revenge Against Gambling' (3d ed., 1816); 'Life of Benjamin Franklin, with Essays' (1817) •, 'Life of William Penn' R (1819); 'Hymen's Recruiting Sergeant> (7th ed. 1821 and 'The Bad VVife's Looking Glass' (201 ed., 1823).