Henry Harrisse (1829-1910) was born in France and emigrated to the US in the 1840s. He taught at a school in South Carolina before becoming instructor of French at the University, where he taught from 1853 to 1856 while simultaneously studying law. He practiced law in Chicago (1857-59) and New York (1859-70) before returning to France. His avid interest in early American history led him to publish some ninety books, pamphlets, and articles, for which work the French government made him a member of the Legion of Honor.