Background

 The legend of Sleepy Hollow was just one of the stories written by Washington Irving (1783–1859) in  The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. (1819–1820). The Sketch book of Geoffery Crayon is a  collection of tales, essays, and sketches that would soon to be the first internationally successful work by an American author. Irving Washington was the son of a successful hardware merchant, born on 3 April 1783 in New York. He was the eleventh child born to emigrants Sarah Sanders and William Irving. Irving had dabbled in writing before, most notably producing the satirical A History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809). A few years later while in England,  Irving had an unsuccessful business venture with his brothers that caused him to turn to his pen in hopes of providing some income. Irving's short stories, first printed in America under his pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon. They contain two of Irvings' most famous tales: "Rip van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".  They were a hit in America and in England where Irving got to meet writers, actors, Kings and Queens because he too was now famous.

C. D. Merriman. " Washington Irving." The Literature Network.Web. 12/5/11. http://www.online-literature.com/irving.

Washington Irving. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." American History Through Literature. Web. 12/5/11. http://www.gradesaver.com/.