Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was born in Paris on January 24, 1732. His father taught him the trade of watchmaking, though Pierre eventually became a respected playwright. He wrote The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, and other works. During the American Revolution, he supplied the French government with intelligence, supplied the American rebels with clothing and arms, and helped persuade the French government to assist the colonists against Great Britain. In 1792, he was charged with treason for supplying the National Convention with firearms, and upon his release he left Paris, though he returned in 1796. Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais died on May 18, 1799.
From the guide to the Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais papers, Beaumarchais, Pierre-Augustin Caron de papers, 1766-1832, 1766-1811, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)
