Artist. Born in Philadelphia, he began drawing in his youth. He moved to New York in 1848 and in 1850 he was invited to illustrate Washington Irving’s works ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ and ‘Rip Van Winkle’. He continued to illustrate works by Washington Irving but added James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Longfellow, James Whitcomb Riley, and Charles Dickens, to his client list. He also designed bank notes and bonds for the U.S. government. His work helped popularize icons such as the Pilgrim, the Pioneer, the Minuteman and the Yankee Peddler. He became one of the best-known illustrators of his time, so great was the demand for Darley’s work that new books were promoted as illustrated by Darley. He was a member of the American Society of Painters in Watercolor and of the National Academy of Design. After visiting Europe in 1863, he published ‘Sketches Abroad with Pen and Pencil’ in 1868. His drawings of the Civil War gained praise at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. He also completed a set of illustrations for Shakespeare’s plays. Darley’s importance as an artist is acknowledged today by such authorities as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Book of the Artists. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Darley “dominated American illustration for nearly a half-century.” (bio by: Iola)  Family links:  Spouse:  Genny G. Colburn Darley (1829 – 1916)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: Angina pectoris