Parson Weems
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Parson Mason Locke Weems (1756-1825) was an American printer and author known as the source for almost all of the half-truths about George Washington, "the Father of his Country," including the famous tale of the cherry tree. ("I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet.") The Life of Washington, Weems' most famous work, contained the story.
Although the story is often retold as if Weems had been trying to deify President Washington, in its context Weems seems rather to have been trying to praise Washington's father, and to make a point about enlightened parenting.
Primary Sources
- Online Books by Parson Weems (http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/search?author=weems&amode=words&title=&tmode=words)