Following the American Revolution, Bartram's sons William Bartram (1739–1823) and John Bartram Jr. (1743–1812) continued the international trade in plants. They expanded the family's botanic garden and nursery business. Following his father's lead, William became an important naturalist, artist, and author in his own right. Under his influence, the garden became an educational center that aided in training a new generation of natural scientists and explorers. The garden also became well known throughout the young nation. While Philadelphia was the temporary capital, visitors to the garden included members of the Continental Congress in 1784 and President George Washington in 1787. William Bartram's travel book, published in 1791, chronicled his explorations in the South and remains a milestone in American literature.