Walter's Tour in the East by Daniel C. Eddy 1862-1865

This six volume series chronicled the adventures of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Percy, their children, Walter and Minnie, and Walter's schoolfriend Harry St. Clair as they traveled through the middle east. Five of the books have four illustrations from designs done by E. J. Whitney. Walter in Damascus' illustrations came from designs done by H. W. Herrick. This series is a sequel to the five volume set Percy Family published a few years earlier. The latter series involved the same characters as they toured Europe. These stories teach moral lessons with a backdrop of teaching geography/history of the regions.

Daniel C. Eddy (1823-1896) wrote a number of juvenile series in the 19th century.

As is frequently the story with 19th century juvenile authors, Eddy was a man of the cloth. He graduated in 1845 from the Hampton Theological Institute in New Hampshire. As a Baptist minister he served a number of churches throughout the East. His work began in the Boston area. In 1861 he was moved to Philadelphia. Later he served in Fall River, Massachusetts and Brooklyn, New York.

In 1854 while in Massachusetts he was elected to the state house of representatives where he acted as Speaker of the House. He was a member of the Know Nothing Party. (One of my personal favorite political parties.)

He frequently spoke out about the evils of alcohol. In 1889 he was elected as a manager in the National Temperance Society.

Although he authored a number of religious and moralistic works, Eddy's best sellers were his juvenile series. The Percy Family and Walter's Tour in the East being the best known. He had traveled overseas to Europe in 1850 and to Turkey and the Holy Land in 1861. These adventures served him well while writing his juvenile books since his series were all of the travelogue type.

Two publishers printed the Walter books: Sheldon and Co. and Thomas Y. Crowell and Co. Gould and Lincoln co-published these books with Sheldon between 1862 and 1865. These volumes are 6.75 x 4.5.

1. Walter in Egypt (1862 Copyright)-First edition has 1863 title page imprint
2. Walter in Jerusalem (1863 Copyright- First edition has 1863 title page and notes Volumes 3-6 in press
3. Walter in Samaria (1863 Copyright)-First edition has 1864 title page imprint and states that Volumes 4-6 in press
4. Walter in Damascus (1864 Copyright) First edition has 1864 title page
5. Walter in Constantinople (1864 Copyright)
6. Walter in Athens (1865 Copyright)-First edition has 1865 title page)

Sheldon and Co., New York

Sheldon published these books between 1862 and 1871. The titles originally cost 65 cents each. By 1864 the books cost 90 cents each.

In 1864 two different blind stamped covers with the same spine design were published. The green cover below is the earlier 1864 format (of the two shown here). This green cover is also the same cover as is seen on the 1863 first editions of "Egypt" and "Jerusalem".

Undated Sheldon and Company books were published between 1865 and the 1871 editions.

1871 format

Thomas Y. Crowell and Company bought the plates of the Walter's Tour books from Sheldon & Co. in 1883 and reprinted a new boxed set edition of the six volume series. These 12 mo. books were sold as a six volume set for $7.50. The volumes were not sold individually. The illustrations were still from designs done by E. J. Whitney and H. W. Herrick. The volumes are 7.5 x 5.