The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-06-03
DAILY PIONEER.
SAINT PAUL:
SATURDAY MORNING. JUNE 3, 1884.


JAMES MONTGOMERY, the poet, brcathed hi
last on Sunday afternoon, April 3Oth, at hi
residence, the Mount, Sheffield, aged 81. II,
presided at the weekly board of the infirmar,
as late as Friday, and walked home more thar
mile, afterward. The London Times uives
brief summary of his biography as follows:
James Montgomery was born as long ago AZ
November 4, I'LL ut Irvine, in Ayrshire.
Ills hthcr was Moravian missionary, who
leaving his son in Yorkshire to be educated
went TO the West Indies, where he and the
poets mother both died. When only twelve
years old, the bent of the boys mind was shown
10y the production OF various small poems
These indications could not save him at first
from the Fate of the poor, and he was sent to
earn his bread as assistant in general shop.
lie thirsted for other occupations, and one day
set off with IS in his pocket to walk to Lon
don. to seek fame and fortune In his first ee
fort he broke down, and for a while gave up
his plan to take service in another situation.
Only for time, however, was he content, and
second effort to reach the metropolis was ,,r,.
successful, so far as bringing him to the SPOT
he had longed for, and unsuccessful to his main
hope-that Of finding publisher for a volume
Of his verses. But the bookseller, who refused
Montgomcrys poems, accepted his labor, and
made him his shopman. Fortune, however. rs
she generally does smiled mt last on the zeal.
Gus youth, and in 1892 he gained post in the
establishment of Mr.. Gales, bookseller of
Sheffield, who had set up II newspaper called
the Sheffield Register. On this paper Mont.
gomery worked ron dmorc and when his mas
ter had to fly from England to avoid imprson.
mcnt for printing articles too liberal for the
then dcSpotic government of England. the
young poet became the editor and publisher of
the paper. the name of which he changed to
the Shc.hcld Irts. In the columns of this print
nc advocated political ana religious freedom.
and such conduct secured for him the attcn-
tionS OF the Attorney General. by whom he
was prosecuted. fined and imprisoned in the
irSt instance for reprinting n song commence
rating the " Fall of the Bastilc y in the see
oni Tor an account he gave of Il riot in Shcc-
field Confinement could not crush his love of
political justice, and on his second release he
went on advocating the doctrines of freedom ~
before. in his paper and in his books. Tn the
lengthy periods between those times and the
present the beliefs which james Montgomery
early pioneered in England have obtained zen
cral recognition, and, as men became more and
more liberal our poet gained more and more
esteem lie contributed to magazines and.
despite adverse criticism. in the Edinburgh Re-
rtcw. established his right to rank as a poet
In l191 he published " Prison Amusemen,s -
in 1905. the Ocean in 1906. The West
Indies" in 1909, "Tha Wanl,rcr in Switzcr-
laal = AMI in 1912, The World before th,
Flood" by th"s, works he obtained the chief
reputation he has since enjoyed I'm 1919 an.
Pcartd "Grccnland." Il poem in five cantos /;
and in 1873. The Pelican Island and other
Poems" In ISL the whole of his works were
issued in one volume. Svo.. and Of which two
editions arr in circulation: and in 1853. "Or-
ginal Hymns, for Public. Private, AMI Social
DEVOTION This venerable poet enjoyed
well-ltServcd literary pension of elj0 il year.