The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-09-07
WILL CARLETON.
The Farmer Poet.


When the Toledo Blade, a few
years since, brought out in its col
umns, "Betsey and | are out the
managers had little idea of the ben
eft they were comforting on all low
ers of Poetry-little guessed that
they were aiding poetic genius,
destined to become famous. But
they were soon to realize they had
opened the door and admitted a ray
of sunlight on the literary land
scape, that was of great strength
and Of unusual brilliancy. The fa-
vorable reception rendered it by crit
ical readers every where, and the
.furore it created, awaked them to
this fact.
1t may not be generally known,
but nevertheless, is fact, that the
poem was rendered rs a gratuitous
contribution, and raised its modest
countenance in corner Of the pa
per devoted almost entirely to the
first efforts Of young authors. 1t
may not be amiss in this connection
to state that in this department of
the same paper, appeared the scarce
ly less famous, Hannah Jane,' by
d. R. Locke, Editor of Blade. So
uncertain was the young author that
it would meet with a favorable re-
ception, that he deemed it impru-
dent to diminish the chances of pub
lication, by freighting it with fixed
price But no sooner had it appear
td, than it's fate was decided; and
the result would have made happy
the heart of an exacting Milton
It was soon copied into newspapers
everywhere; elocutionists made a
study of it, and delighted their au-
diences-while they were melted in
tears. The freshness, the quaint
originality of constructions un-
like anything written before-was
eagerly read and re-read.
But amidst all the pleasure Of its
entrance, one yexing query troubled
the public mind-one that is always
yexatious to all admirers of good
literature. There was cloud hang
ing around the certainty of author
ship, and the worshipping public
was perplexed as to whom to offer
congratulations TO make the mat
ter worse, "a number of mercenary in
dividuals coolly stepped forward
and claimed the honor. "Who is
the author?' was the query, amidst
alt this uncertainty. They were
soon to know; the Farmer Poet of
Michigan, whose genius had given
birth to the touching lines, was not
to be defrauded of his rights.
The fact that the poem made its
appearance over the name of "Will
Carleton led many to suppose that
this was pseudonyme, and not the
true name of the author But sub
sequent writings under the same
name, led to personal acquaintances,
and the uncertainty was dispelled.
At that time the author was little
more than twenty-five years of age,
having been born on his fathers
farm, near the town of Hudson, in
Lenawee County, State of Michigan,
in 1916. His ancestors were of En-
4 glish stock, and had early settled in
New England, from whence they
went to Michigan-or to the far
West as it was then termed. This
was over fifty years ago, and Garlic
toms father was one of the early
pioneers of the State. Being a man
of sturdy industry, he went to work
with a will, and soon carved a home
ont of the wilderness. 1t was there
that he died and there his five chill
dren were born. He lived to see the
only one of them who survives
'sthe one in whom many hopes must
have centered' famous
His sterling worth and influence as
a citizen were always felt and rec:
ognized.. The mother of the poet
was likewise of English descent, and
was fit companion for the husband.
She is still living, and shares the
prosperity of her son, and enjoys
hearing of his fame, with all of a
mothers pride and JOY. Perhaps
who can say?-the thought has oc-
CURED to her, that the noble heart
which gave birth to the plaintive
lines:
"Over the hills to the poor-house-my children
dear, good-by!
Many night I've watched you when only
God was nigh"-
would never fail in its allegiance to
her, and that his poem would never
find an illustration in her case. If
so, she is right.
Will Carleton is well acquainted
with the life usual to a farmers boy,
but his desire for knowledge soon
took him out of the rank and file of
that average numerous class. This
desire caused him, while still in the
district school, to study Latin, AL
zebra and Geometry at home, and
afterward to walk five miles each
day through Michigan SHOWS and
wind for the privilege of attending