EG'GLESTON, EDWARD An American novelist and historian. Hp was born at Vevay, Ind., December 10, 1s37, the son of a lawyer. Of delicate health in childhood. and largely self-educated, he began life as a Metho dist eirCuit -rider, and was then agent in nesota for the Bible Society, doing such pastoral Nvork as his health iermitted, and engaging in other pursuits as opportunity offered. In 1866 lie went to Evanston, 111., and for a time edited a children's paper. In 1867 he removed to Chicago and edited The Sunday ;Woo/ Teacher, gaining pat halal reputation as manager of Sunday•school teachers' institutes, and as a speaker at Sunday-school conventions.
while lie contributed with increa-ing frequency to the "Cew York Independent, in 1870 became its literary editor, and soon afterwards super intending, editor. a post that he resigned to be come editor of Hearth and name. again lie gave 1111 for a Brooklyn pastorate ( 1874-79) ; finally retiring to a country place on Lake George and devoting himself to literature. Ile had already made southern Indiana peculiarly his own in fiction by his racy Hoosier School master (1871), a great success, appearing first in Ilearth and name. lie followed this up with[ other novels, some of Gem quite popular: The End of the World (15721: .1/ysho'1/ of
iisrific (1873) ; The Cirruit Rider 1874 llo.ry (1878). lle now began, with the help of his daughter. Mrs. Lillie E. Seelye. the publication of juvenile biographies of American Indians: Tem( in :eh 18.78 ) : Pocahontas and Poirhatan (1$79); Brant and Red Jacket 11579); ihmte :ulna (Is.40), In I5s3 he returned to Indiana fiction in The Hoosier School Roy, continuing with The t;raysons (lSssi, The Faith Doctor (1591). Duffels (159:1). Dis biographical studies led him to a wider study of American history, in which he was mainly interested during his last years. Among his works in this field are A House hold History of the United Stales (HS'S), and a series of volumes on the development of Ameri can society, The Beginners of a Nation (1890). and The Transit of Cirilir•ation ( 1900 ) —which are marked by a very minute knowledge of Colonial life and thought, and with their at tractive style are among the best of recent American histories. in spite of a certain want of sympathy with the mental attitude of the epochs described.