Claimed to be the "father"

Washington Irving (born  April 3, 1783, New York - November 28, 1859, Tarrytown, New York) - an outstanding American romantic writer, who is often called "the father of American literature".   The stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" became the most famous of all of his writings.

For a while he was preparing to be the advocate. During the war with England, in 1812, he was the adjutant of General Tompkins, then took part iv the war, but  unfortunately he lost all of his fortune. The beginning of the literary activity of Irving served his humorous essays entitled «Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle». Throwing trade businesses, Irving took up the processing of travel writing, which he made during a trip to England in 1815, he published a collection of essays and short stories under the title "The Book of sketches» («Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon») drew the general attention. Irving's best works can be considered "History of New York, told Didrihom Knickerbocker» («Humorous history of New York, by Dietrich Knickerbocker») and "Rip Van Winkle» («Rip van Winkle») - the tale of a man, slept for 20 years. During the second visit to Europe in Paris, Irving wrote "Bracebridge Hall» («Bracebridge-Hall, or the humorists»; London, 1823) in the following 1824 he published in England "Stories traveler» («Tales of a traveller») .
One time, Washington Irving was a U.S. ambassador to the Spanish court.
Died November 28, 1859 in Tarrytown, New York. Buried in "Sleepy Hollow."