Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-16
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER.
His Seventy-fifah Birthday-A Sketch
OF the Life and Literary Career of
the Quaker Poet


VI sAe Lie ana Literary career Oh
the Quaker Poet.
His Life at Home.
WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BIZ CHARLES
H. BRAINARD.
On tomorrow, the 18th day of the present
month. John Greenleaf Whittier. the Quaker
poet of New England, and the oldest of Ameri-
can poets, will celebrate the seventy fifth ami
versary OF his birth
ANCESTRY, BIRTH AND EARLY EDUCATION.
Mr.. Whittier was born in the east parish OF
Haverhill, In northeastern Massachusetts,
three miles from the present city of Haverhill,
on the Merrmac. on the 18th day Of December,
1877, being the second son of John and Abigail
Whittier, members of the Society of Friends.
His paternal ancestor, Thomas Whittier, settled
In East Haverhll, in the early part of the 18th
century, and built the house in which the poet
was born, and which is still standing, and well
preserved. He was man of great size, and
remarkable for his physical and moral courage,
being an uncOmpromisng non-resistant, and
relying solely upon the weapons Of his religious
latin as means of defense against the hostile
INDIANS who infested his neghbOrhoOd. and
who often came to his home for food, but who
never mOlested him.
The father of Mr.. Whittier was hard-work-
ing farmer, a sef-educated man, of good practi-
cal common sense, and for many years one of
; tme masna.es OF the town On all matters of
interest to the community his opinions are said
TO nave possessed the sanctity of law. The
mother OF the poet was woman Of more than
ordinary intelligence and remarkable for her
equaoie temperament, quiet and diGni1ed man.
ner and affeCtionate disposition. In writing of
Whittier
tliat the sacred word mother means in its broad
est, 1uliest significance, our dear mother was to
us. a friend, helper, counsellor and companion,
ever loving, gentle and unselfish." John &C
CURED the rudiments Of his early education at
the pubic school, which was kept tor few
weeks each year in rudely constructed dwell
ing mousse, and In a room only ten feet square.
sketch of this school room and of the school
teacher; Joshua Coffin. of Newbury, is contained
IN Mr.. Whlttier's charming poem entitled, "My
Ola Schoolmaster," and the worthy pedagogue is
affectionately alluded to and quantity described
In the poem of 'SnOw Bound" At this period of
his life John had but few opportunities of be-
coming acquainted with books, his fathers IL
brary being limited to the Bible, Bunyans Pill
grims Progress, Barclays Apology, The Life of
George Fox, an English dictionary, nearly three
hundred years old. and small dingy square
volume, entitled, "Davidies-"
'Where Elwoods meek drab skirted muse
stranger to the hea:hen nine
the SsR My WITH IL h somewhat ina baSa whine
These books were well read by the fncipient
poet. especially the immortal aegory of Bunyan,
to which in after years he alludes in eloquent
terms in his prose writings.
delightful picture of Mr.. Whittier's early life
under the paternal roof is given in "SnOw
Bound" one of the most popular of all his
poems. and the first that became to him source
OF much pecuniary profit. The old farm house
In which Mr.. Whittier was born was situated in
lonely valley halt surrounded by woods with
No naf, hnr in cfrhf e.
hospitality of its occupants that 1t became sort
OF way side inn where all sorts of pedestrians
were in the habit of hating for rest and refresh
ment. Some OF the eccentric characters, who
made occasional visits to the family, are
described in '.Snow Bound" and Others are
graphically and humorously portrayed in Mr..
Whittiers delightful essay entitled yankee
Gypses," in the second volume of his prose
works.
EARLY POEMS; FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT
John displayed rare promise for poetry at
very early age, and composed verses with
wonderful facility, to the annoyance of his
father, who was a decided unitarian, and
looked upon his sons literary proclivites as an
obstacle to his future success in life; but his
early illusions were source of delight to his
mother, whose affectionate approval Of his
simple rhymes encouraged him to perseyere
His first appearance in print was in the columns
of the Essen Gazette, a weekly paper published
In the adjoining village of Haverhill. At this
time William Lloyd Garrison was publishing
weekly paper in Newburyport. about nine miles
distant. entitled The Free Press, and one morn
ing found on the floor Of his editorial room a
letter. written on coarse paper, which had been
placed under the door, and which contained an
anonymous poem entitled ''The Deity" 1t
was 80 far superior to much of the occasional
poetry Of that day that it was at once printed
in the Free Press. 1t was followed by several
other poems secretly conveyed to the editor all
OF which were published, each one being an i'm
provement on It's predecessor. Finally Mr.
Garrison became anxious to learn the name of
his gifted and anonymous contributor, and after
some inquiries of the post rider, who delivered
the paper each week in the neghbOring villages,
discovered that it was the son of Quaker
Whittier" of East Haverhill, to which
ment. and there found the object OF his search
a bashful youth, at work on the farm with his
father. Mr.. Garrison bestowed much praise
upon the few poems he had contributed TO the
columns OF his paper. and solicited further con-
trlbutOnS from his pen, at the same time en-
treating his father to place no restraints upon
the literary tendencies OF his gifted son, little
dreaming that the shy and unpretending boy
who stood before HIM was destined to be an
efficient ally in the antislavery conflict in which
he was about to engage.
ENTERS AN ACADEMY-sCHOOL TEACHING.
John entered the Haverhill academy at the
age of eighteen. and there remained for two
years during which time he wrote numerous
articles in prose and verse for the columns of
the Essen Gazette. On leaving the academy he
undertook the charge Of a school in the adoin-
ing village of Birchy Meadow a vocation for
which he soon discovered he had neither taste.
talent, nor inclination He soon afterwards
began his editorial career by assuming the
charge of the american Manuf act,uer. weekly
paper published in Boston, the position having
been obtained for him through the influence of
Mr. Garrison. In the year 1929 he succeeded the
late George D. Prentice. of Kentucky, as editor
of the Neac England Recie,c. published in Hart
ford. Conn, position which he retained for
about two years. during which time he achieved
an enviabe literary reputation, stories and
poems from his fertile pen appearing in rapid
succession. While editing the Ne,o E,,qldnd
Reoie'o his first book, entitled Legends of New
England" was published in Hartford, and was
succeeded ty a tale in verse, entitled ''Mol
Pitcher, the Witch OfLynn." All that is known
of this poem to readers of the present day are
the spirited and patriotic lines beginning with
"Land of the forest and the rock,