The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-16
THE POETS OF INDIANA.
The Writers of Verse who Have Added to the
Fame of Cur Literature.

N
hat of Forceythe Wilson can be found. 1t is
lot name that has ever filed the trump of
anne and doubtless large majority of newspa-
per readers have never even heard of him, much
less read the little book of 115 pages containing
his poems, and which bears the title of THE Old
Sergeant, and Other POEMS" Byron Forceythe
Wilson was born in Little Genesee n. Y, April
10, 1897 and died in Alfred, n. Y, Feb. 2, 1867
less than thirty years old. He is buried in the
little cemetery at Laurel, Ind, and beside him
lies his WIFE also poet, who died at the age of
twenty-five, on the 18th of October, 1864. For
ceythe Wilson lived for several years at New
Albany, this State, but in 1864 removed to Cam
bridge, Mass, purchasing pleasant house near
Mr. Lowell's looking out upon the Charles river
He was a shy and reserved man. and in his new
home made few acquaintance. DIR. Oliver
Wendell Holmes read Wilson's ''Old Ser
geant" to many audiences in the course
of his delivery of lecture on
the Poetry of the War" He wanted to know
more of the author, and after writing repeatedly
70 persons far off to find out who Wilson was,
1T last discovered that the home of the author
Of the old Sergeant" was visible from his own
parlor window. John James Piatt himself an
Indianian and poet, says in the March number
(lS75) of the Atlantic Magazine, 1.-THE simple,
manly vigor observable in the Old Sergeant is
beyond anything Poe produced Ralph Waldo
Emerson, in the preface to his ''Parnassus, says
Il have inserted only one of the remarkable
poems of Forceythe Wilson, young Wiscon-
sin poet of extraordinary promise, who died very
soon after this was written" Fine praise, though
Mr. mn mist in 10
Wisconsin. I'm State" has sweep and gran
deur unexcelled by any poem brought out by the
war, and Longfellows Cumberland" is, by some
critics, considered tame beside Wilson's 1.-THE
Mates Story
Mrs. Rebeeca S. Nichols, of this city, is the
author of two books of poems, the first, Der
nice or the Curse of Mamma, was issued in 1874
only 1000 volumes being printed Shortly be-
fore 1850, the eccentric Cincinnati millionaire,
Nicholas Longworth, was travelling in a stage
coach in New Jersey with several literary peo-
pie. A lady read poem written by Frances
Sargent Osgood, and all the readers fellow-trav
elers pronounced it beautiful. Mr.. Longworth
asked that he be allowed to read an obscure
Western poem. which had been published in
Cincinnati newspaper, the Commercial. Con
sent was given, and, after the reading. every
body pronounced it better than the first Mr..
Longworth, with this Endorsement of his opin-
ion. began to feel proud of his fellow towns-
woman, Mrs Nichols living in Cincinnati at that
time. and wrote her letter saying that if she
would publish her poems in a volume he would
himself attend TO paying the printer. This offer
bore fruit in the publication in 1851, of second
volume by Mrs. Nichols, called Songs of the
Heart and Hearthstone"
Miss M. Louisa ChitwOod. who died young, was
recognized by George D. Prentice as poet of
great talent. A book Of her poems was published
in 1871, and last fall another and larger edition
was issued.
Ben S. Parker, formerly editor Of the New
Castle Mercury, now United States consul at
Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, Canada, publish
ed a book of poems several years ago. The edition
small and soon exhausted. There were
many beautiful things in it, but his best and
strongest work has been done since, and it is to
he hoped he win materialiSe his later efforts in
another volume. He is now occupying his leis
ure in collecting and arranging specimens of the
writings, and in writing history of Indiana
authors.
''The Life and Poems of Sarah T. Bolton" is
by Jonathan w. Gordon. Mrs. Bolton was the
first Indiana poetess whose name spread beyond
the borders fthe State. She is widely known, and
some of her poems, for example paddle Your
Own Canoe, are as familiar as household words.
No account Of Indiana poets is complete without
The Hooser Nest, and Other Poems" by John
Finley. Its description of pioneer life in Indiana
although not of a high rank as poetry has trav
eled far and wide.
I'm told in riding somewhere West
A stranger found HOLSTERS nest,
In other words buckeye cabin
Just big enough to lodge Queen Nab in
John James fiatt has given the world two vol
umes of poems, western Windows and Land
marks and Mrs. s. NJ. B. Piatt, ''That New
World, and Other Poems"
Rev. Sidney A. Dyer, who resided in this city
from 1853 to 1857, and was during that time pas
tor of the First Baptist Church. published book
Of poems entitled Voices of Nature, or
Thoughts in Rhymes" He is now living in New
York, a hale old man of seventy-two years,
where he has 'ciisrse of 4 number of Baptist pub
locations. Besides his poems and religious writ
ings, he has written number OF entertaining
and instructive books for YOUTH aT1cng them
''Black Diamonds" "At Home and ASroGd
ocean Palaces and Gardens" "Hoofs and
Claws etc. Mr.. Dyer was a drummer in the
Black Hawk war, and afterward missionary to
the Indians
Mrs D. NJ. Jordan, of Richmond, editor of the
Independent. has collected her poems in little
volume called Rosemary Leaves" Several of
them are beautiful, as are a number she has
written since the book was made
Other Indiana poets have contributed as fol
lows: Songs Of Fair Weather" by Maurice
Thompson; ''Guzar, or the Rose Bower, by
John s. Reid; ''Rosabower7 poems and miscel-
Iany), by W. c. Lalrabee: ''Loto's Land by G.
S. Ladson; ''lhe villa Brier, or Lays by an I'm
taught Minstrel" by f. n. L.; Hawthorne
Blossoms. by Emly thornton Cnar1eS; "Jne
Evangelist and Other POEMS" by Sanford c.
Cox; ''Sweet Astreaneare," by Alice May Quinn;
Poems by S. A. Butterfeid.
Judge Horace p. Biddle, formerly of the Su-
preme bench. residing at Logansport, has issued
several volumes Of poems, among them "A Few
Poems, American Boyhood," ''Glimpses,' my
Last Poems etc.
DR.. Orpheus Everts is the author of "a number
of poems, which have been given to his friends
from TINE to time, and also Of philosophic novel
called 'Giles & Co."
DR.. L. D. Waterman, Of this city, surprised
his friends last fall with volume of poems,
which are of surprising beauty, and show not
only great scholarship but fine poetical ability.
The little volume was entitled ''Phantoms of
Lie and it was the Doctors first Offering to the
1uuses-at least the first he has ever acknowl-
edged
On the shelves Of the city library is book by
an Indiana author. published in 1860, with this