John James Audubon
Audubon was born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti). He was the illegitimate son of a French sea captain and plantation owner and his French mistress. He was raised by his stepmother in Nantes, France. Early interests included birds, nature, drawing, and music. In 1803, at the age of 18, he was sent to America to escape conscription into Napoleon’s army. He lived on the family-estate at Mill Grove, near Philadelphia. It was here that he hunted, studied and drew birds. He married Lucy Bakewell. The couple became the parents of two sons, Victor Gifford and John Woodhouse. A daughter died in infancy.