Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Hazewell, Charles Creighton

HAZEWELL, Charles Creighton, journalist, b. in Cranston, R. I., 1 Oct., 1814; d. in Revere, Mass., 6 Oct., 1883. He was chiefly self-educated, and learned printing in the office of the “Providence Journal.” From Providence he went to Boston, and was employed for a time on the “Advocate,” and then on the “Post,” where he was both printer and editor. Mr. Hazewell then edited the “Nantucket Islander,” and was editor and proprietor of the Concord, Mass., “Freeman,” for some time before 1845, when he removed to Columbus, Ohio. There he edited the “Statesman,” and was editor and proprietor of the “Western Review.” He wrote the entire contents of the few numbers of the “Review” that were published, in the intervals of his journalistic duties. He then returned to the east, took up his residence in Concord, and became connected with the “Middlesex Freeman.” In 1852 he was a member of the Massachusetts senate, and in 1853 represented Concord in the constitutional convention. Leaving the “Freeman,” he formed an editorial connection with the Boston “Atlas,” then with the “Times,” and in 1857 became an editorial writer on the “Traveller,” remaining with it until his death. He was for many years the American correspondent of the London “Morning Post.” He acquired French and Italian to aid him in his historical researches, and was regarded as an excellent authority on biographical and his- torical subjects. He is credited with having written a two-page New-Year's article, containing a summary of the events of the past year, entirely from memory, and substantially free from error. He wrote a long and critical obituary of Daniel Webster, on the announcement of his death, without reference to a book; and on one occasion designated correctly the page and paragraph in which would be found certain episodes, mentioned by Gibbon, in two editions, British and American, and widely different in size and paging. He was offered an important diplomatic appointment by President Lincoln, but declined it.—His son, Edward Wentworth, b. in 1853, is a journalist in Boston, and has written short poems that are popular.