James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851), writer. Born in New Jersey, studied briefly at Yale, served with the U.S. Navy until 1810, beginning his literary career in 1820, on a dare from his wife, with Precaution quickly followed by The Spy (1821), The Pioneers (1823, the first of the five novels comprising the Leatherstocking Tales), The Last of the Mohicans (1826). His last successes came with the resurrection of Natty Bumppo in The Pathfinder (1840) and The Deerslayer (1841); a complete edition of his works published shortly before his death.