The literary history of Mobile

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PAPERS OF THE IBERVILLE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, No. 5

THE LITERARY HISTORY
OF MOBILE

By ERWIN CRAIGHEAD,

B. Litt., LL. D., President

of the Iberville Historical

Society

Reprinted From

The Mobile Regi^er Centennial Edition

1914

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PAPERS OF THE IBERVILLE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, No. 5

THE LITERARY HISTORY
OF MOBILE

By ERWIN CRAIGHEAD,

B. Litt., LL.*b., President

of the Iberville Historical

Society

Reprinted From

The Mobile Regi^er Centennial Edition

1914

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MAR 21 B;6

CiterarYlfi^torj of 5tlobilc

IN MARCH, 1814, JAMES INNERARITY WAS
elected president of the board of commission-
ers of Mobile, and, strictly speaking, the lit-
erature of Mobile's one hundred years be-
gins with the first entry made upon the min-
ute book of the board. We shall go back, how-
ever, a little space to February 28, 1812, on
which day we find that Josiah Blakeley wrote to
his "dear Abby" in Connecticut telling of "the
now famous town of Mobile," where the Mobile
river "desembogues" its waters into the bay by
several mouths. Blakeley, afterwards the founder
of the town of that name on the eastern shore
of Mobile bay, wrote of Mobile as being at that
time the subject of dispute between the United
States and the Spaniards; and as containing
about 9 0 houses, all of wood and but one story
high; and we may judge that the place was
"famous" because of the aforesaid dispute rather
than for Mobile's size, trade, or other accomplish-
ment.

Mobile literature had its beginning many years
earlier than this, but there is but fragmentary ac-
count of the output and writers

Pineda, who was here to repair his ships in
1519, wrote down what he saw and heard, and
called the bay and river Espiritu Santo. A year
later, Garay made a map and put the same name
upon it; and he is credited by some with being
the first to use the name. Panfilo de Navaez
drifted this way in 15 28 and put into the bay
somewhere for water, possibly at Bellefontaine.
Then came DeSoto's admiral, Maldonado, but all
the records are of voyages, and. have no connec-
tion with Mobile's literary history. \ Possibly Iber-
ville may be counted as our first author, although
Hamilton gives precedence to Penicaut. Iberville
wrote and published in 1702 a diary of his visit
to the second site of the Mobile colony (at Twen-
ty-seven Mile Bluff on Mobile river) ; and this
was really literature, in the sense that a great
deal of it was fiction. Iberville described the
beautiful forest trees and verdure along the river
route, without once saying that the river banks
were marsh-land and under water. The fact is that

Iberville's diary was for prospective French im-
mig-rants to read; Iberville having something like
a continent of land on his hands and to dispose
of. Curiously enough, he chose the poorest tract
to be found anywhere in this region of country
as the subject of his glorification. He died of the
fever in Havana, February 7, 1707, before he him-
self was fully aware of the unfortunate choice he
had made.

The historian of the enterprise of Iberville
and Bienville was Jean Penicaut, a ship carpen-
ter by trade, born in 168 0, and who came to this
country with Iberville. He wrote the "Annals of
Louisiana," He returned to France in 1821. Of
Penicaut, Hamilton (in his Colonial Mobile)
speaks as "our first Mobile writer;" and, in an-
other passage, "It is with sincere regret that one
closes the life-like pages of the first literary Mo-
bilian."

Mr. Hamilton mentions also the Jesuit Charle-
voix, who published six small volumes with maps
of places and plates illustrating the native plants.
Bossu is another writer of that early time, his
contribution to literature taking the shape of let-
ters. Mobile in those early days, say in 1708, had
a population of 122 in the garrison, 24 adult male
and 28 adult female "inhabitants," 25 children,
and 80 slaves — a total of 279 souls.

Skipping to the sixties of that century we
come to Major Robert Farmer, the English of-
ficer in command of the colony at Mobile. Whether
he was an author of any books is hot stated, but
he was distinctly literary. Aubry, in charge at
New Orleans, had much correspondence with him,
and gives this sketch of him: "This governor of
Mobile is an extraordinary man. As he knows
that I speak English, he occasionally writes to
me in verse, ^r, He speaks to me of Francis I. and
Charles V. He 'compares Pontiak, the Indian
chief, to Mith'radates ; he says that he goes to
bed with Montesquieu. When there occur some
petty difficulties between the inhabitants of New
Orleans and Mobile, he quotes to me from the
Magna Charta and the laws of Great Britain."

And now we must pass over a very considerable
space of time. It is highly improbable that any
literary work was done in the colonial days. The
denizens had sufficient to do to maintain them-
selves in a new country; and besides, if they ere-

ated any literature, it was in a foreign tongue anci
has been scattered to all parts, if still existing-.

When the Americans came in 1813, they found
a city, if city it may be called, but little larger
than a small village, and actually showing no
growth in the one hundred years of its existence.
Immigrants poured in, a newspaper was estab-
lished, and then a government; and after that,
sometime after that, literature began to appear.

Tlie American Period.

The writer of this wishes it to be known that
what he presents here is nothing more than what
the Germans call an Einleitung, or "leading into''
or towards the subject; a preface or introduction,
if you will call it so; and the reason for so re-
garding it is that at every turn the writer finda
something that may be added to what has been
collected; and he is convinced that there is much
of the field yet unexplored; that there are books,
papers and documents existing that he has never
heard of; and that tradition preserves the names
and the memory of labors apparently forgotten.
The hope is entertained that by this publication —
the first of its kind yet attempted — interest will
be excited, and that by the help of additions and
corrections, the basis of a fairly complete history
of the literary life of Mobile may in time be ob-
tained.

We began with mention of Josiah Blakeley'f
letters. We proceed next to the year 18 3 3 and
open the account with the writings of the Rev,
William T. Hamilton, the grandfather of the pres-
ent-day historian of Mobile. Mr. Hamilton wrote
and published two books, one with a Newark im-
print of 1833, entitled "Infant Baptism," and the
other, printed in New York in 18 5 2, with the
title of "A Friend of Moses."

Next following was Charles L. S. Jones, Mo-
bile's first poet, who published in Mobile in 1834,
a small book with the title of "American Lyrics,
Comprising Discovery, a Poem, Songs, Tales and
Translations." In the same year, he published
"Henriad," a poem translated from Voltaire. The
beauty of the print, and binding of this little vol-
ume cannot fail to command attention. It showed
the printer's art well advanced here.

About this time lived here Augustus Girard, a
Swiss watchmaker, inventor and philosopher;
originator of the Franklin Literary Society, and

6

author of "Reflections on the Latent Causes and
Mechanical Effects in the Works of Nature," which
remained long in manuscript, and was published in
1866. Girard died about 1873, and Major Wal-
thall delivered an oration in his memory.

In 18 5 5 there blazed forth upon the American
reading world the work of the Rev. Joseph Hoit
Ingraham, who for a time was rector of St. John's:
but this author actually began his literary career
before he entered the ministry. It was in 18 3 6
that he published "Southwest by a Yankee," and
also "The American Lounger." It was In this
same period that he wrote and published "Lafitts
or the Pirate of the Gulf." Then came a long rest
of near twenty years, and an entire change ol
scene and of motives. When next Mr. Ingraham
took up his pen it was in the cause of religion.
He preceded Sienkiewicz both in purpose and in
achievement; and in his day had a vogue that was
as remarkable for that day as that which later
was gained by the author of "Quo Vadis?" The
three books from his study were "The Prince of
the House of David," 1855; "The Pillar of Fire,"
1859, and "The Throne of David," 1860; all pub-
lished in New York.

William Russell Smith began his career here
in 18 37, which appears to have spread over
nearly 40 years of time. Mr. Smith was a lawye?
by profession, a graduate of the University, and a
captain in the Creek war, member of both the
United States and the Confederate congress, and
in 18 65 received a flattering vote for governor.
He had the distinction of originating and editing
the first literary magazine in the state, called
"The Batchelor's Button," published in Mobile;
1837-38. About the same time he wrote a play
entitled "Aaron Burr," a tragedy which was
played here, Mr. Smith having a part in its per-
formance. Sol. Smith, the then well known actor,
manager and writer, declared this play "a work
Df genius." In 1860, Mr. Smith published in
Montgomery "The Uses of Solitude, a Poem;" and
in 1871, in Tuscaloosa, "Key to the Iliad of Homer,
for Use of Schools, Academies and Colleges,"
which Brower stamps as "an excellent transla-
tion."

Dr. Josiah Nott is likely to be remembered
longest for being the first to suggest that it was
probable that the germ of yellow fever was con-
veyed by an Insect of some kind. His name be-

came known to the world, however, for his orig-
inal studies in ethnology. He advanced theories
that aroused no little antagonism because of what
would now-a-days be called their liberal tendency.
In 184 4, he published "The Bible and the Physical
History of Man." In 18 54, "Types of Mankind."
En 1857, "Indigenous Races of the Earth," all
bearing a Philadelphia imprint.

Mobile's first woman writer was Mrs. Cath-
erine van R. S. Hale, a school teacher. She wrote
a romance entitled "Grandchildren of Mr. Ar-
mond;" and a book of essaj^s, called "Saturday
Evenings," New York imprint, 1845.

Mobile's first, last and only Indian author was
Dixon W. Lewis, who died as a missionery in the
Indian territory in 1857. Lewis performed the
remarkable feat of translating the books of
Joshua, Judges and Ruth into the Choctaw lan-
guage. The book was published in Mobile in
1852.

A poet of high position in the estimation of
admirers of scholarly work was Henry Lynden
Flash, once a resident of Mobile, where his poems
tvere written. As far as known here, he published
but one book, bearing the one word "Poems," and
printed in New York in 18 55.

Alexander Meek.

Alexander Beaufort Meek was a lawyer, the
occupant of many public offices, associate editor
of The Register under Thaddeus Sanford, and a
writer of considerable note. "One of the lights of
his day and generation of the mind," was said of
him by the Rev. Philip Phillips Neely. His pro-
ductions all came into print in two years' time,
beginning in 18 5 5, with "Red Eagle, a Poem,"
reciting the romantic history of William Weather-
ford, the Muscogee chief. Next, in 1857, appeared
"Romantic Passages in Southwestern History, In-
cluding Orations, Sketches and Essays," 12 mo.
Mobile. The third work was "Songs and Poems of
the South," published also in 1857, with Mobile
imprint. Of unfixed date is a small volume of
verse, entitled "Magnolia Leaves and Orange
Blossoms." "His works were received with marked
favor," says Brewer. Judge Meek was the first
to contribute chapters upon Alabama history, a
then wholly unworked field, and he it was who
fixed the motto for Alabama, as meaning in the
Indian tongue, "Here We Rest."

s

Julia Harris. Of this writer nothing tangible
is found, save these few words in Reynolds' rem-
iniscences of Judge Meek: "It was to him that
the Mobile poetess, Julia Harris, was indebted for
much, if not most of her reputation, for he would
carefully revise her compositions, and recommend
them to public notice."

Next in order is Captain Raphael Semmes,
afterwards admiral of the Southern Confedercy,
who published in 18 57, with a Cincinnati im-
print, a memoir, entitled "Service Afloat and
Ashore During the Mexican War." After his
brilliant career in the war of 1861-65 as com-
mander of the "Alabama," he wrote his Memoirs
of Service Afloat During the War Between the
States," Baltimore, 1869.

"Madam" LeVert, that is to say, Octavia Wal-
ton, daughter of Governor George Walton of
Georgia, and wife of Dr. Henry S. LeVert of Mo-
bile, was the most brilliant woman that ever
adorned Mobile society. She was a linguist, gifted
in conversation, and had a wide acquaintance. She
was the center of social life and conducted suc-
cessfully what is known as a "salon," in the
French style. "Such a woman occurs but once in
the course of an empire," said Washington Irving
with reference to Madam LeVert. She published
her memoirs under the title "Souvenirs of Travel,"
2 volumes, Mobile, 1857.

It was two years prior to the last named date
that another very brilliant writer appeared upon
the literary horizon, but because of her youth at
that time and the long period of her literary ac-
tivity, extending into the twentieth century indeed,
she was accounted a member of a succeeding
generation. Augusta Evans, afterwards Mrs. Wil-
son, was the young writer's name and her first
novel was "Inez," published in 1855. "Beulah"
followed in 1859 and had immediate success, run-
ning through several editions in a few month's
time, bringing fame to the author not yet in her
twentieth year. Then followed "Macaria," 18 64;
"St. Elmo," 1866; "Vashti," 1869; "Infelice," 1875:
then a break of twelve years to "At the Mercy
of Tiberius," in 1887; her last work being a little
romance, "A Speckled Bird," printed in 1902.
There was high purpose in all of her writings, art
being secondary, but by no means neglected. All
of her works have been republished in England;
and "St. Elmo" has appeared in both French and

German. Her chief success was in describing with
realistic force situations that were highly dra-
matic. She easily claimed and held the attention
of her readers.

The Rev. Norman Pinney was rector of the
old Christ Church, and was an educator of note,
attracting students from New Orleans and else-
where. Pinney's College was a handsome build-
ing that faced Government street, where the D. R.
Dunlap home now stands. Mr. Pinney wrote
school text books. His French Grammar was
rated as the best for instruction in that language.

Joseph Seawell, a lawyer, published "Volen-
tia, a Play in Five Acts," Mobile, 1859.

William Walker, "the grey-eyed man of des-
tiny," who made two expeditions out of Mobile
with the hope of establishing rule in Central
America, the last proving fatal to him and his
hopes, honored Mobile to the extent of publishing
here in 18 60 his only book, entitled, "War in Nica-
ragua." Walker was a native of Tennessee, and
journalist by profession and filibuster by trade.
One of the last of the survivors of his party was
Captain Billy Williamson, chief of police under the
late mayor, R. B. Owen,

Nothing appears known of the Rev. Charles
W. Thomas as a Mobile author, save what is told
in his book "Adventures and Observations on the
West Coast of Africa," Mobile, 18 60. The book is
remarkable for containing several woodcut pic-
tures from drawings made by the author; and is
altogether a high grade example of the book-
printer's art.

Augustus Requier.

Augustus Julian Requier was a poet of dis-
tinction, native of Charleston, and resident here
for fifteen years after 1850, practicing' his pro-
fession of the law here, and afterwards in New
York City. He was district attorney here under
the United States and the Confederacy. He pub-
lished under Philadelphia imprint in 1860 a vol-
ume of "Poems." Included in this collection were
a long poem entitled "Legend of Tremaine," and
a shorter one, entitled "Ashes of Glory," on which
last his fame is founded. Another considerable
poem bears the name of "The Spanish Exile." He
wrote also two plays, and a romance, the titles
of which do not appear to have been preserved.
Davidson says of Requier: "In ideal purity and
symmetrical art, he stands clearly among the first

10

poets of the South." When Requier left Mobile
one of the newspapers spoke of him as an orator
who blended the impassioned fervor of Prentiss
with the laboriously informed acumen of Pinck-
ney and "a literateur whose productions are fore-
most amongst those who illustrate the artistic re-
sources of his section."

The war period has but brief representation.
Madam Adelaide de Vondel Chaudron translated
Muhlback's "Joseph II. and His Court," and the
publication was in Mobile, in 1864, upon wrap-
ping paper, and with wall-paper covers. The
book had great vogue in the camps of the Con-
federate Soldiers, where it rivalled Victor Hugo's
dramatic story that was spoken of by the soldiers
as "Lee's Miserables." Madam Chaudron pre-
pared at this time also a "Third Reader for the
Use of Primary Schools;" and in 18 67, a "Fourth
Reader, on an Original Plan."

Major E. G. McKnight was the other war-
time writer. It cannot be learned whether he
published any but fugitive verses; but these that
have survived have original turns of thought. The
Confederate major was a prisoner on Lake Erie.
Under his nom de guerre of "Asa Hearts," ho
wrote many a pathetic line and not a few humor-
ous lines describing his situation.

The after-the-war period begins with Mrs.
Elizabeth W. Bellamy, writing under the style of
"Kamba Thorp." Her first work was "Fair
Oaks," published in 1867; next "Little Joanna,"
1876; "Old Man Gilbert," 1888, unquestionably
of permanent literary value; and "Penny Lancas-
ter, Farmer," 189 0.

Mr. J. S. Knight, whose writing name was
"Perilla." No particulars, 1868.

Bernard J. Reynolds, signing himself "Old Mo-
bile," 1869. Bernard Reynolds wrote and published
"Sketches of Mobile," describing men and inci-
dents coming within his purview before the war.

Thomas Cooper DeLeon a most prolific writer
of all kinds and of very unequal quality, and
author of one work of exceptional value, "Four
Years in Rebel Capitals," published in 1892, the
same being sketches, annecdotes and descriptive
of Mr. DeLeon's personal experiences in Montgom-
ery and in Richmond in war times. Of nearly
equal interest is a later work on the same lines,
entitled "Belles, Beaux and Brains of the 60's,"

11

written after Mr. DeLeon was stricken with blind-
ness, and published in 1907. Mr. DeLeon died
in March, 1914. His other writings were: "South
Songs," 1866; "Cross Purposes," 1867; "Hamlet
ye Dismal, a Travesty," 18 70; "Rock or the Rye,"
1887; "Juny," 1890; "The Pair Blockade Breaker,"
1891; "The Puritan's Daughter," 189 2; "John
Holden, Unionist," written in collaboration with
Erwin Ledyard, 1893; "A Bachelor's Box," 1897;
"The Pride of the Mercers," 1898; "The Life of
Joe Wheeler," 1899; "Confederate Memories,"
1899; "History of Creole Carnivals," 1899; "Tales
from the Coves," 1903; and "The Passing of Arlo
Haine," 1905.

Erwin Ledyard, mentioned above as collab-
orator with Thomas Cooper DeLeon in writing
"John Holden, Unionist," supplied the scenes and
incidents of most realistic value in this work. He
wrote and published in The Register verses of
considerable merit.

Colonel Joseph Hodgson, for a long time editor
of The Register, was a master of English style,
a clear and incisive writer. He wrote and pub-
lished a "Manual and Statistical Register," the
first handbook of Alabama; also his memoirs of
war times in Montgomery in a volume entitled
"The Cradle of the Confederacy," 1870.

Frederick G. Bromberg: Several brochures
contributed to the papers of the Iberville Histori-
cal Society; also a disquisition upon "The Proofs
of Existence of a Supreme Being," Mobile, 1885.

Miss Charlee H. Garner: "Ring of Rhymes
and Short Stories," 1875.

Judge Saffold Berney: "Handbook of Ala-
bama," 1878; second edition, 189 2.

R. Moore: "Universal and Complete Mechin-
ics, Containing Over One Million Industrial
Facts," Mobile, 1879.

J. Hunter Smith: "Tunings of a Harp," New
York, 1879.

Father Ryan.
The Rev. Abram Joseph Ryan, the poet-
priest of the South, and most brilliant star in Mo-
bile's literary firmament, for a long time rector of
St. Mary's, and in whose honor as poet and priest
a monument was erected in Mobile in July, 1913.
The poet's verses are familiar in every household
of the South: "Poems, Patriotic, Religious and
Miscellaneous," Mobile, 1879; Baltimore, 1880.

12

"The Crown of Our Queen, a Poem," Baltimore,
1882.

Louis de Vondel Chaudron: "Madame Le Mar-
quise, a Comedetta," Mobile, 1884.

Mrs. Mary E. Henry-Ruffin, L. H. D.: Suc-
cessful v/riter in poetry and prose, and gifted
with fine imaginative powers. Published, "Drift-
ing Leaves," 1884; "John Gildart," 1900; "The
North Star," 1904; "Eden on the James;" "The
Sphinx," 1910; "The Shield of Silence," 1914.

Paul Ravesies: "Scenes and Settlers of Ala-
bama," by Sub Rosa, Mobile, 1885.

Thomas ■ Q. Barnes: "Southern and Miscel-
laneous Poems," Mobile, 1886.

Marienne G. Spratley: "Confessions of Two,"
New York, 188 6.

Elizabeth W. Stephen, co-author with Mrs.
Spratley of "Confessions of Two."

The Right Rev. Bishop Richard Hooker Wil-
mer, distinguished as a minister, as conversation-
alist, a wit and a writer: "The Recent Past from
a Southern Standpoint," New York, 188 7; the
subhead of this work is "Reminiscences of a
Grandfather."

E. Q. Norton: "Construction and Tuning of
the Piano," Boston, 1887.

Mrs. Mary Smith: "Poems and Essays," Mo-
bile, 1888.

Willis G. Clark: "The History of Education
in Alabama," Mobile, 1889.

Hannis Taylor, who in his field, has achieved
more distinction than any other in America, hav-
ing devoted a large part of his time to original
research into the history of fundamental English
law: "The Origin and Growth of the English
Constitution," 1889; "International Public Law,"
1902; "Jurisdiction and Procedure of the Su-
preme Court of the United States," 1904; "The
Science of Jurisprudence," 1908. "The Origin and
Growth of the American Constitution," 1911;
"Real Authorship of the Constitution of the
United States Explained," 1912.

Paul J. Robert: "Grand Terre, a Romance of
Older Creole Days" (published in serial form),
1890.

Anne Bozeman Lyon, one of the most success-
ful of Mobile's writers of fiction; of remarkable

13

industry; and contributor to many magazines:
"No Saint," Louisville, 18 9 0. "Padre Filipo," 1895.
Stories and serials in magazines as follows: "The
Mourner," 1892; "Chitto Marriage," 1901; "Casl-
mir Jacques," 1913; "An Abiding Faith," 1913.

Frances Irwin Huntington: "Wife of the Sun;
a Legend of the Natchez," Mobile, 1892.

Celia Anderson: "Jule Maghee's Anarchy," Mo-
bile, 1892.

P. J. Hamilton.

Peter Joseph Hamilton, the historian of tho
French settlement of Mobile, and the first to put
this history upon a sure basis of fact by his studies
of the records in Paris, Madrid, London, Quebec,
New Orleans and Mobile, a work of greatest value.
Mr. Hamilton is a lawyer by profession, and is
United States judge of Porto Rico. His writings:
"Rambles in Historic Lands," New York, 1893;
"Art Work of Mobile and Vicinity," 1894; "Colo-
nial Mobile," Boston, 1897 and (second edition),
1910; "City Code" of Mobile, 1897; "The Coloni-
zation of the South," 1904; "The Reconstruction
Period," 1905, (in the Series of the History of
North America, published in Philadelphia) ;
"Mobile of the Five Flags," a school history. Mo-
bile, 1913. This book is distinguished as being
wholly a home product. Mr. Hamilton was the
organizer and until his a,ppointment to the federal
judgship of Porto Rico in 1913 president of the
Iberville Historical Society of Mobile, and a fre-
quent contributor to. its memorabilia.

Dr. Henry A. Moody: professor of the Medi-
cal Department, University of Alabama: "City
Without a Name," London, 1898.

Mary Anne McGill: "Little Orphan Annie
and Her Friends," New York, 1899.

Mrs. Mary McNeill FenoUosa, whose pen name
is "Sidney McCall," a much admired writer of
verse and fiction. She has published as follows:
"A Flight of Verses," 1899; "Children's Verses on
Japanese Subjects," 189 9; "The Dragon Painter,"
1906; "Truth Dexter," 1906; "The Breath of the
Gods," 1906; "Red Horse Hill," 1909; "Ariadne of
Allan Water," 1914.

Dr. Charles Mohr: "Plant Life in Alabama,"
(published in Reports of the Alabama Geological
Survey, 1901.)

Dr. Dillon J. Spotswood: "Out of the Beaten
Track," by Nuverbis, New York, 1901.

14

Annie Shillito: This writer of mucla good
verse, not as yet collected and publislied, was the
successful competitor lor The Register pi'ize on
the occasion of the celebration, January 23, 1902,
of the founding of Fort Louis de la Mobile. The
poem, which obtained the instant and unanimous
approval of the judges, was entitled "The Vision
of Bienville," was read at the celebration, but not
by its author, and was printed in due form in Tha
Register. Miss Shillito's shorter poems most
noted are "The Star Land," "Carpe Diem," "Ad
Torquatum," the last two being metrical transla-
tions of the odes of Horace.

Hugh G. Barclay: contributor of verses to
magazines, newspapers, the product of his leisure
when not engaged in his business as a railroad
man. All his lines are imbued with a profoundly
religious and patriotic spirit, and much praise is
given both the sentiment and the versification.

Garrard Harris: "Joe, the Book Farmer," New
York, 1913. A wholly original presentation of th«
work of intensive farming in the South, and prac-
tical results.

Mrs. Lura Harris Craighead: "Lessons in Par-
liamentary Law," prepared in order to assist
women in performing creditably and correctly
such public offices as may fall to them in the
present day of enlarged women-activity in public
affairs, Mobile, 1914.

Emma Langdon Roche: "Historic Sketches of
the South," New York, 1914; showing a thorough
study, and the presentation for the first time of
the history of the "Clotilde" voyage, the last im-
portation of slaves into the United States, and
what became of the slaves, their personality and
characteristics, with pictures of their leading
men and women from sketches made by the
author.

Other Writers.

Of law writers, there were Judge Harry Toul-
min, the grandfather of the present judge of that
name, who compiled the "Laws of Alabama," in
18 23; Alexander McKinstry, 1859; Francis P..
Clark, Jr., in 1878; and Edward W. Faith, address,
upon "A Simple Title," Mobile, 1911.

Writers of sermons, published separately or in
book form: The Revs. Wiliam T. Hamilton, 1833;
Elisha Cowles, 1835; Henry B. Bascombe, 1850;

15

Nahaniel P. Knapp, 1855; Philip Phillips Neely,
1881; W. J. E. Cox, 1907; and H. W. Fancher,
1911.

Medical Writers: Dr. P. H. Lewis, who was
awarded a medal in 18 47 by the Alabama Medica.l
Society for his essay upon the "Medical History
of Alabama;" Dr. R. Lee Fearn, "Essay upon the
Diseases of Mobile," 1850.

Writers who at some time lived in Mobile:
The Rev. John N. Maffit, revivalist, who died her©
in 18 5 0, wrote the "Nautilus." The Rev. William
Henry Milburn, the blind Chaplain of Congress:
"Ten Years of a Preacher's Life," 18 59; "Pioneer
Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley,"
1860. Theodore O'Hara, at on© time associate
editor of The Register: "The Bivouac of the
Dead," 185 5; "A Dirge for the Brave Old Pioneer,''
18 60. Paul A. Towne, principal of Barton
Academy: An Algebra, Louisville, 1865. The Rev.
Niles Pierce, rector of St, John's, and afterwards
bishop of Arkansas: "Henry VIII, and his Court;"
translated from Muhlbach, 1865; "The Agnostic
and other Poems," New York, 1884. Kate Cum-
ming: "Journal of Hospital Life in the Army of
the Tennessee," 18 6 6. John T. Wiswall, whose
boyhood was spent in Mobile, published "The
Last Crusader," a poem, London, 1867. His mis-
cellany contains a poem upon Mobile revisited.
William d'Alton Mann: "The Raider," 1868. Noah
M. Ludlow: "Dramatic Life as I Found It," St.
Louis, 1888. Naaman R. Baker: "Constancy,"
and other Poems," Mt. Morris, 111.. 18 8 4. The Rev,
Henry Berkowitz: "Judaism on the Social Ques-
tion," New York, 1888. Mrs. Lizzie York Case:
Essays and poems the most notable being verses
entitled: "There is no Unbelief," 1885. Amelie
Rives Troubetzkoy: 'The Quick and the Dead,"
1888; and other fiction. John Wilford Overall:
"Catecliism of the Constitution of the United
States," 1896. Nina Picton. Gabriel Boudous-
quie: "Poet^ a Tragedy in Three Acts," New York.
1899. Prentiss Ingraliam: Stories, poems, serials
for newspapers and magazines, 1869 to 1905.

— ERWIN CRAIGHEAD.

President of the Iberville Historical Society.

Mobile, Ala., September, 1914.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

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