Philosophy

never confuse simple to mean cheap.

Early life and education, 1817-36[edit]
Henry David Thoreau was born David Henry Thoreau[7] in Concord, Massachusetts, into the "modest New England family"[8] of John Thoreau (a pencil maker) and Cynthia Dunbar. His paternal grandfather was born in Jersey.[9] His maternal grandfather, Asa Dunbar, led Harvard's 1766 student "Butter Rebellion",[10] the first recorded student protest in the Colonies.[11] David Henry was named after a recently deceased paternal uncle, David Thoreau. He did not become "Henry David" until after college, although he never petitioned to make a legal name change.[12] He had two older siblings, Helen and John Jr., and a younger sister, Sophia.[13] Thoreau's birthplace still exists on Virginia Road in Concord. The house has recently been restored by the Thoreau Farm Trust,[2] a nonprofit organization, and is now open to the public for the first time in its history.