Charles Anthon

Life

His father George Christian Anthon was a German-American physician who served in the British Army during the American Revolution until the surrender of Detroit in 1788. George attained the rank of surgeon general, resigned, married the daughter of a French officer, and settled in New York City. Charles was born there on November 19, 1797, graduated with honors from Columbia College in 1815, and, after studying law, was called to the bar in 1819. He never practiced. Instead, the next year, he was appointed assistant professor of Greek and Latin at his old college. In 1830, he was made a full professor and become the headmaster of the Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School. In 1835, he succeeded to the chair of Professor Morse. He retired from the grammar school in 1864 and died in New York on July 29, 1867.

Works

He produced a large number of classical works for use in colleges and schools, which enjoyed great popularity, although schoolmasters themselves sometimes disliked their use by students, owing to the large amount of assistance and translations contained in the notes. He also wrote A Manual of Greek Literature from the Earliest Authentic Periods to the Close of Byzantine Era providing a list of all Greek writers in that period, with a summary of their life and works and a bibliography of editions then in use. The overview is still useful today, but outdated. His intention to provide a similar volume for Latin literature was never fulfilled.

Dr. Anthon's work was carried on by his successor, Henry Drisler.

Anthon Transcript

Charles Anthon is famous in connection with the history of the Latter Day Saint movement because of his interactions with Martin Harris concerning a fragment of Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon. The fragment was later known as the Anthon Transcript. According to Harris, Anthon wrote Harris a letter of authenticity declaring the fragment to contain true Egyptian characters. Anthon was also reported to have confirmed the translation of these characters as correct. When informed that an angel of God had revealed the characters to Joseph Smith, Anthon reportedly tore up the authentication stating that there was no such thing as angels and asked Harris to bring the plates to him for translation. Martin Harris went to Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill afterwards and received a letter of authenticity from him. Anthon, however, disagreed with Harris' version of their encounter and stated in a letter to a Mr. E.D. Howe on February 17, 1834, that the story of Anthon's authentication was false, that Anthon had identified the writings as a hoax, and that Anthon had told Harris that the writings were part of "a scheme to cheat the farmer [Martin Harris] of his money...."

Acquaintance with Poe

Dr. Anthon was a friend and correspondent of Edgar Allan Poe, who attempted to use their acquaintance to gain a national reputation in literature and journalism as well as publication in 1845 of his collected stories through Harper and Brothers. This was, at the time, unsuccessful due to a doubtful accusation of plagiarism against Poe; however Poe went on to establish himself in the first rank of American letters.

Reference and instructional works

School editions with commentary

Brothers

His brother John Anthon was a noted jurist. His brother Henry Anthon (1795-1861) was a noted clergyman.