Henry David Thoreau
1817–1862 (age 45)
Author/Philosopher
Biography
Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was a visionary American philosopher, naturalist, and writer whose ideas about civil disobedience, environmental conservation, and simple living remain profoundly influential. His seminal work "Walden" documents his transformative experiment in deliberate living at Walden Pond, while his essay "Civil Disobedience" has inspired social and political movements worldwide.
Thoreau's legacy as both author and philosopher continues to resonate in contemporary discussions of environmentalism, individual liberty, and social justice. Buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts, he remains a towering figure in American intellectual history, celebrated for his uncompromising commitment to principle and his lyrical observations of the natural world.