BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR 



John Woodhouse Audubon, the younger of the 

 two sons of John James Audubon and his wife, 

 Lucy Bakewell, was born in Henderson, Kentucky, 

 November 30, 181 2. Those who recall the life of 

 the ornithologist may remember that at this time 

 he was far from his days of prosperity, and was 

 trying to be a business man, with saw-mills and 

 lumber; a venture, which like all his business 

 efforts, did not succeed. Therefore, almost before 

 the boy John remembered, the wandering days 

 began for him, which continued virtually all his 

 life. During his boyhood these wanderings were 

 chiefly confined to that portion of the United 

 States south of the Ohio River, and largely to 

 Louisiana, a section of country he always loved. 



As a child, though small and slender, he was 

 strong and active and delighted in the open air life 

 which was indeed his second nature; and he was 

 proficient in swimming, shooting, fishing and all 

 out-door sports and pleasures, while still a boy. 

 He was rather averse to the needful studies which 

 kept him from the woods and streams, but which 

 his mother never permitted him to neglect. She 

 was, herself, the teacher of her sons in their earlier 

 years, and a most thorough one, as later generations 

 can testify, sending them to school only when she 



