Harold Frederic, the Utica proofreader who became a novelist
Frederic grew up in Utica, started out at its newspapers and wrote "The Damnation of Theron Ware." He is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery.
By Priya Nadler
Harold Frederic was born in Utica on Aug. 19, 1856. His father was killed in a railroad accident when Harold was 18 months old, and he was raised mostly by his mother.
He finished school at 15 and went to work as a photographer, spending four years retouching photos. He was drawn to journalism, and in 1875 he started as a proofreader at the Utica Herald and then the Utica Daily Observer.
In 1884 he moved to England as London correspondent for The New York Times, a job he held for the rest of his life, and wrote fiction alongside it. His books include “In the Valley” (1890), a novel of the Mohawk Valley; “The Damnation of Theron Ware” (1896), his best-known work; and “The Market Place” (1899), published after his death.
Frederic died on Oct. 19, 1898, in England. His remains were brought home and buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica.