Sweetser was the son of Joseph A., and Catherine (Dickinson) Sweetser, aunt of poet Emily Dickinson. He was born in New York City, February 19, 1837. The first year after his graduation was spent in the store of his father (firm of J A Sweetser & Company) in New York City, after which he was for a few months a reporter for the New York Times.
He graduated from Yale College in 1858.
In June, 1860, he entered the office of the World, of which he soon became night-editors (In March 1864, the Round Table published Dickinson"s "Some keep the Sabbath going to Church", one of only ten poems to appear in print in her lifetime, and the only one published in a magazine) He withdrew from the Round Table in May, 1866, and, after a short visit to Europe, in September of the same year again joined the World and was connected with it chiefly as city editor and editor of the weekly and semi-weekly editions, until his death. He died suddenly in New York City, February
17, 1870, aged 38 years.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Yale Obituary Record.
