David Harum

Edward Noyes Westcott (September 27, 1846 - March 31, 1898) was an American banker and author, best remembered for his published novel David Harum. Born in Syracuse, New York, Westcott was the son of Amos Westcott - a dentist, professor, dental college founder, politician, and former mayor of Syracuse. His brother, Frank Nash Westcott, was also a writer and clergyman. Edward was educated in local schools before beginning work at a bank at the age of sixteen, a profession he remained in for the rest of his life. While working in banking, Westcott developed a keen understanding of human nature and small-town dynamics, which would later inform his fiction. During a period of illness, he wrote David Harum, a humorous and insightful portrayal of American rural life centered around a wise and witty horse trader. The novel was published shortly after his death in 1898 and became a bestseller. Though his literary career was brief, Westcott left a lasting mark on American popular fiction.