born Aug. 1, 1815, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.
died Jan. 6, 1882, Rome, Italy
U.S. writer and lawyer.
Dana left Harvard College because of weakened eyesight and shipped out as a common sailor; after regaining his health, he returned and became a lawyer. He is remembered for his autobiographical Two Years Before the Mast (1840), which revealed the abuses endured by sailors. The Seaman's Friend (1841) became the authoritative guide to seamen's legal rights and duties. He also produced a scholarly edition of Henry Wheaton's Elements of International Law (1866), provided free legal aid to fugitive slaves, and served as U.S. attorney for Massachusetts.
Richard Henry Dana
By courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.