Marse Henry: An Autobiography (Volume 1)

"Marse Henry: An Autobiography (Volume 1)" by Henry Watterson is a memoir written during the early 20th century. The book chronicles the life of Watterson, a prominent journalist and editor, as he reflects on his childhood, political experiences, and encounters with historical figures in mid-19th century America, particularly in the context of the Civil War and its aftermath. At the start of the autobiography, Watterson shares anecdotes from his early life in Washington, D.C., detailing how he grew up surrounded by significant political figures such as John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. He provides insight into the influential events of his youth, including his father’s political career and the family's ties to notable characters of that era. He emphasizes the vibrancy of the political atmosphere of Washington, the role of religion in his upbringing, and his early aspirations to be a literary figure, which ultimately led him into journalism instead. The opening sets the stage for a narrative filled with personal reflections interlaced with political history and illuminates Watterson's views on the events and personalities that shaped America during a tumultuous period. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Henry Watterson, the son of a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, became a prominent journalist in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as a Confederate soldier, author and partial term U.S. Congressman. A Democrat like his father Harvey Magee Watterson, Henry Watterson for five decades after the American Civil War was a part-owner and editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, which was founded by Walter Newman Haldeman and would be purchased by Robert Worth Bingham in 1919, who would end the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist's association with the paper.