October 11
PARSON WEEMS DAY
As children, many of us were scolded for telling a lie -- even a little white lie. In fact, we were told about the first President of the United States, George Washington, who, as a little boy had chopped down his father’s cherry tree with a hatchet. Little George could not tell a lie, so he told his father what he had done. George Washington was to be an example for us all.
The truth of the matter is that the story about George and the cherry tree was a lie ... or rather, a fictitious story. It seems that Mason Weems, who was born on this day in 1759, grew up to become a preacher; an Episcopalian clergyman to be exact. Parson Weems was also a seller of books. Weems would fictionalize history in stories like the one he wrote of George Washington in the book, Life of Washington. The readers of his books loved the stories and often believed that they were true.
The fables got the readers interested in history and Parson Weems had some best sellers on his hands. Some of his tales live on today -- like the story of George and the cherry tree.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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