Gilder, Richard Watson, a distinguished editor and author, the son of Rev. William Henry Gilder, a Methodist minister, was born at Bordentown, N. J., February 8, 1844; educated at his father's seminary at Flushing, Long Island, and later studied Greek and Hebrew under the eminent scholar, Dr. James Strong. He was a private in the Civil War in 1863, and in railroad service in 1864-65, after which he took up literary and editorial work, first on daily papers at Newark, N. J., and then on Hours at Home, a New York monthly. In 1870 he became managing editor of Scribner's Monthly and later its editor in chief, retaining this position after it became the Century Magazine (1881). He was connected with various literary and social reform clubs. He is the author of numerous 410 volumes of poetry. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from several of the leading universities of America in recognition of his scholarly attainments and splendid service to American literature. He died November 19, 1909.