Brown of Calaveras

Francis Bret Harte, born on August 25, 1836, in Albany, New York, was an influential author whose early love of literature sparked his creative journey. After facing ridicule for his first poem at age 11, he moved to California at 17, where he worked various jobs and found inspiration in the stories of the Old West and the Gold Rush, helping to shape the short story genre. Throughout his career, he excelled in poetry, plays, and journalism, gaining fame and lucrative offers for his work. Harte passed away from throat cancer on May 5, 1902, and is buried in Surrey, England.