| Henry Peterson | |
| Birth Date: | 1818 12, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Resting Place: | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation: | editor, novelist, playwright, poet |
| Language: | American English |
| Period: | Modern |
| Employer: | The Saturday Evening Post |
| Spouse: | Sarah Webb |
| Parents: | George Peterson, Jane (Evans) Peterson |
Henry Peterson (December 7, 1818 – October 10, 1891) was an American editor, novelist, poet, and playwright. He was editor of The Saturday Evening Post for thirty years and owner of H. Peterson & Company publishing firm.[1] He was a member of the Peterson family of publishers including his brother Robert Evans Peterson and his cousin Charles Jacobs Peterson.
He was born on December 7, 1818, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to George and Jane (Evans) Peterson.[2]
He worked as a clerk in a hardware store at age fourteen, and in 1839 joined the firm of Deacon & Peterson, who became publishers of the Saturday Evening Post. In 1843, Peterson became editor of the Saturday Evening Post. In 1848, he was half owner of the publication along with his brother-in-law Edmund Deacon, and the sole editor.
As editor, he refused to publish the works of the female writer, E.D.E.N. Southworth, on grounds that her work was "immoral". He refused to publish The Deserted Wife since it depicted a character who forced a young woman into marriage against her wishes.[3]
The publication became very successful and Peterson bought out his brother-in-law and renamed the firm H. Peterson & Company. Peterson controlled the paper for almost thirty years and sold it to R.J.C. Walker.[4]
H. Peterson & Company also published The Lady's Friend, edited by Peterson's wife and Peterson's Magazine.[4]
He addressed the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, and was quoted as saying "Even an army of occupation here could not put the Negro into the street cars."[5]
He died on October 10, 1891, in Philadelphia[2] and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.[6]
He was married to Sarah Webb, who edited The Lady's Friend magazine for ten years, and their son, Arthur Peterson, became assistant editor of the Post. His eldest brother was the publisher Robert Evans Peterson, and his cousin was the publisher Charles J. Peterson.