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How Many Kids Did Washington Irving Have?

Published in Writer's Life 1 min read

Washington Irving, the renowned American author, did not have any children of his own. He remained unmarried throughout his life.

While Washington Irving did not establish his own family, he was a member of a notably large one. His parents had a total of eleven children. Out of these eleven, eight individuals survived to adulthood.

Washington Irving's Family of Origin

The family included several children who did not survive past infancy. Two sons, both named William, tragically died in their early years, as did a fourth child named John. The remaining eight children, including Washington himself, lived to adulthood.

Below is a list of Washington Irving's siblings, offering a glimpse into the diverse family he grew up in:

Sibling Name Birth Year (approximate, if available)
William, Jr. 1766
Ann 1770
Peter 1772
Catherine 1774
Ebenezer 1776
John Treat 1778
Sarah 1780
Washington 1783

Irving's personal life, therefore, focused more on his literary pursuits and his relationships with his extensive family rather than raising children of his own. His legacy is primarily defined by his influential works such as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle, which have become foundational texts in American literature.