The Biographical Dictionary of America/Alden, Henry Mills

ALDEN, Henry Mills, editor, was born at Mount Tabor, Vt., Nov. 11, 1836, eighth in descent from John Alden, the immigrant. He attended a district school, worked in a cotton factory, taught school, and in that way made his college course possible. He was graduated, at Williams college in 1857, and at Andover theological seminary in 1860. On the day of his graduation he delivered the master's oration at Williams college on the Hellenic type of men. He also wrote the class hymn for Andover. He was licensed to preach, but never took a charge. He located in New York city in 1861, and was employed in teaching and in writing editorials for the daily newspapers and contributing articles to the Atlantic Monthly. In the summer of 1861 he was married to Susan F. Foster of Andover. He continued his literary work until 1863, when he took Richard Grant White's place as editor with A. H. Guernsey of "Harper's Pictorial History of the Rebellion," and as reader of manuscript. In 1864 he was made editor of Harper’s Weekly, and in 1869 was transferred to the editorial chair of Harper's Magazine. He wrote "The Ancient Lady of Sorrow," a poem that was highly praised by critics. In the winter of 1863-'64 he delivered a course of twelve lectures before the Lowell institute of Boston, on the "Structure of Paganism." He received the degree of LL.D. in 1888 from Williams college. He is the author of two notable books on religious subjects, "God in His World: an Interpretation," published anonymously, and which created much discussion among religious thinkers and "A study of Death," a reflection or meditation on immortality.