Richard Hildreth (28 June 1807-11 July 1865), historian, novelist, and political writer, was born at Deerfield, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard College in 1826 and was admitted to the bar in 1830. His law practice was put aside, though, as Hildreth became interested in literature, and he co-edited the Boston Daily Atlas while regularly contributing miscellaneous articles to the major journals of the day. During a two-year stay in Florida for his health, Hildreth wrote The Slave: or, Memoirs of Archy Moore, 2 vols. (Boston: John H. Eastburn, 1836), one of the first American antislavery novels. After his return to Boston, Hildreth's ill health continued, and in 1840 he began a four-year stay in British Guiana, where he edited two antislavery papers. Hildreth's major work, History of the United States , 6 vols. (New York: Harpers, 1849-1852), is well-documented, though its stodgy style put off readers. His books on banking and politics reflect Hildreth's generally positive, utilitarian philosophy of life. In 1861 President Lincoln appointed Hildreth United States Consul to Trieste, Italy, but he resigned in 1864 because of poor health and died in Florence the following year.