Horatio Alger graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 1860 and spent a year in France. Upon returning, because of his health, he could not serve in the Union Army. He was ordained and served as minister of the Unitarian Church in Brewster, MA. In 1866 he moved to New York City and became involved with the Newsboys' Lodging House. Some of the young men who lived in the home became subjects of Alger's writings. Alger wrote 135 books, essentially with subjects in which the hero exemplifies to the young readers that they, also, may become wealthy or president of the United States if they work hard and are honest.