Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-23
JOHN II. TEOMPsON.
Some Biographicnt Dafn OF IRIS
sweet POei--gIf, Life In Rich moud.


Correspondence OF the D.spatcn.)
CHARLOTTEsvILLE. VA, Nay 3D.
The career Of John X. 1hompson reflects
SO much crcdI. on the State that an effort
to collect Biographical dals you'd be
praiseworthy, and collection OF his
writings would be o. service to letters.
The encyclopedias do not Ran to mention
his name, but they do fall 30 give much
information about fne brilliant author OF
"Ashby" and "A Battle 3ainoOW." one
Of them. after listing the maya zines anG
papers OK which be had been editor, adds
that "he wrote some poetry" 1t is true
that what might, IN commercial phrase,
be called his output Of poetry was not
large, but II ig so excellent in character
as to deserve 10 be collected ana pub
lished. IT would make very sriah
volume, but very valuable one FOR any
lover Of poetry, end one thac would be
very highly priced in Virginia. and the
rest Of the South. Dr. Charles ~ Kent,
OF the University OF Virginia, has dOre
.nuch In the direction OF collecting both
poems and biographical matter. which re
will no doubt make generally available
in some way In the near future, ard the
unyeiing of the portrait Of the poet at
the University uexs June Will result In
studies OF Thompson and estimates and
appfec!stions OF the man and the author
which will be worthy Of preservation. and
which may exist our knowledge Of 1in
Thompson was born IN Richmond. Octo-
Der %, 1873, and at the age of 10 entered
school Al East Haven. Conn, being
drawn thither by the fact that he had a
sister in that town, and because it was
believed that ,hs b-acing air of Con-
~fxfre q. ~ M.
he began to write. lie was but few
days over - years Of age when he pro-
duced poem 40 Fannie" Two years
later he is credited with a poem ITO
MRS. :. Z. O. On Her Marriage" it IS
believed that In June of the previous
year GS3O he left East Haven. What ne
did during the next three years IS not
known, though II is q reasonable con-
lecture that he was preparing for the
University, at which he matriculated in
September, 1910, when not quite Il years
OF age. His professors were Gessner
Harrison, Pike Powers afterwards the
Rev. Pike Powers OF Richmond, DIR. W.
Il. Rogers, Or. Kraitsir, and DR.. Emmet.
lie was at the University three sessions,
and accomplished graduation In chemis-
try and in law. While d student he con-
tributed to the University magazine three
poems-"Lines on the Death OF General
Harrison" "Despondency," and The
Inebriate.' AT the beginning OF his
first session. at the agc OF II. he con
tributed to scflbner's Magazine, Jan
Birds and Their Flights
It was two years after he left the Uni
versity before he became editor Of the
Southern Literary Messenger, in which
responsible position, assumed at tie age
of %. he continued for more than twelve
years. Where he was or what he was
doing during these years IS not stated In
any of the very brief biographies that
have seen. He was probably in Rich
mond, and IT may be that he had entered
upon the practice of his profession
During the years of his editOrship Of the
Messenger many Of his poems made their
appearance. but il was during the next
period of his life, the period covered By
the war, and that Immediately following
the war, that he did his best work in
verse.
Forced by failing health to relinluish
the editorship Of the Messenger, TO which
ne had brought a large measure Of pros
perity, he went South for the milder ell
mate. and became editor of the Southern
Field and Fireside. Of Augusta, Ga. but
returned TO Richmond in 1861 as assistant
to the State librarian. lie corresponGed
for the Memphis Appeal. and the London
Index, organ In England Of the Confed-
eracy. Two years laeer Qs6D he became
editor of the Richmond Record, which
aid not survive long. = collection Of
his own and Timrods poems, made at
this time and sent TO England Tor publ
cation. was lost I'm transit. In 1854 his
physician, Or. Beverly Wexford. sent him
to Europe for his health. re vas 50
weak that he had TO be carried 10 the
vessel on a stretcher This WIS his Sc
cond visit to Europe, his first having been
made In 1875. On his second visit ne
spent several months In Scotland to the
great advantage Of his hoa,th. and then
went TO London as a member Of the
staff OF the Index, end correspondent Of
the London Standard, and the London
Herald.
Returning from Europe in 1866, his next
work seems TO nave been done in New
York, first in connection with Every Az
ternoon, and then as a reviewer FOR the
Evening Post. He was anon. the or
eanizers of the New York Association OF
the Alumni, Of the University OF Virginia, |
and was it's first secretary. post he |
held until his death. which occurred IN
New York, April %, 1875. not having COM
pleted his Goth year lie was buried in
IolIywood Richmond, May 8, 1875.