Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer. He was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts. His first novel "Fanshawe" was published anonymously in 1828. Some short stories were published in 1837 as "Twice-Told Tales". He married Sophia Peabody in 1842. They had three children. The family moved about Massachusetts for a few years, but finally settled in Concord, Massachusetts. "The Scarlet Letter" was published in 1850. "The House of the Seven Gables" was published in 1851. A political appointment sent Hawthorne and his family to Europe. They returned to Massachusetts in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864.