We must pass through the darkness, to reach the light.
Albert Pike Quotes
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| Birth: | 29th December, 1809 |
| Death: | 2nd April, 1891 |
| Nationality: | American |
| Profession: | Attorney, Soldier, Writer |
About
Pike was born in Boston, Massachusetts, son of Ben and Sarah Pike. He attended school in Newburyport and Framingham until he was 15. In August 1825, he passed entrance exams at Harvard University, though when the college requested payment of tuition fees for the first two years which he had successfully challenged by examination, he chose not to attend. He began a program of self-education, later becoming a schoolteacher in Gloucester, North Bedford, Fairhaven and Newburyport.
In 1831, Pike left Massachusetts to travel west, first stopping in St. Louis and later moving on to Independence, Missouri. In Independence, he joined an expedition to Taos, New Mexico, hunting and trading. During the excursion his horse broke and ran, forcing Pike to walk the remaining 500 miles to Taos. After this he joined a trapping expedition to the Llano Estacado in New Mexico and Texas. Trapping was minimal and, after traveling about 1300 miles, he finally arrived at Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Settling in Arkansas in 1833, he taught school and wrote a series of articles for the Little Rock Arkansas Advocate under the pen name of "Casca." The articles were popular enough that he was asked to join the staff of the newspaper. By 1835, he was the Advocate's sole owner. He then began to study law and was admitted to the bar in 1837, selling the Advocate the same year. He was the first reporter for the Arkansas supreme court and also wrote a book, titled The Arkansas Form Book, which was a guidebook for lawyers.
Pike died in Washington, D.C., aged 81, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery. In 1944, his remains were moved to the House of the Temple, headquarters of the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite.
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