Studious Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts, to the parents Nathaniel and Elizabeth Hathorne. Growing up without a father figure, Nathaniel was raised by his widowed mother when his father died in 1808 from yellow fever. At a young age, Nathaniel discovered his adoration for literature after an accident caused him to be immobile for a number of months. He and his mother lived with Elizabeth’s uncles for a period of time; because of their wealth, Nathaniel was able to attend Bowdoin College from 1821 till 1825. It was around this time that Nathaniel Hathorne changed his name to Nathaniel Hawthorne, adding the extra letter to differentiate between himself and his extended family who, during the Salem Witch Trials,