Newport Notables

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

b. Portland, ME, February 27, 1807
d. Cambridge, MA, March 24, 1882

Longfellow based two of his works on Newport subjects: the ballad The Skeleton in Armor and the poem The Jewish Cemetery at Newport.

The Longfellow-Newport connection is derived in part from his friendship with George W. Greene and Samuel Ward, the brother of Julia Ward Howe [q.v.]. He had met Samuel Ward in Europe. During this trip, Longfellow became a member of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries in 1835. (Longfellow, from this point, would be inspired by the northern romances.)

On May 3, 1838, Longfellow wrote in his journal:

"I have been looking at the old Northern Sagas, and thinking of a series of ballads or a romantic poem on the deeds of the first bold viking who crossed to this western world, with storm-spirits and devil-machinery under water. New England ballads I have long thought of. This seems to be an introduction. I will dream more of this."

Longfellow planned a visit to Newport that summer, and prepared for it with the reading of John Callender’s An Historical Discourse, on the Civil and Religious Affairs of the Colony of Rhode Island (1739).

Arrived August 1838 for a brief stay. He visited Julia Ward (age 19, not married) most likely at family residence called "Buttonwood" or "Redwood Lodge." Julia’s nickname for Longfellow - "Longo." He develops a bad cold, which confused him, since he thought people "... boasted so much of the New Port air, that I thought one might do anything; and accordingly slept with the window open."

While here, as the story goes, Longfellow’s good friend Joseph Cogswell and Julia discussed the origin of the Old Stone Mill. The three happened to visit Fall River, MA. They viewed the skeleton with crude armor found on the shore years earlier. (The skeleton was Indian - not Norse as some thought). Either Julia or Sam Ward suggested to "Longo" that he compose a poem concerning the skeleton.

Inspired by the Old Stone Mill and Fall River skeleton, he connects the two subjects. In his journal of May 24, 1839:

"... my plan of a heroic poem on the Discovery of America by the
Northmen, in which the Round Tower at Newport and the Skeleton in
Armor have a part to play."

As "Longo’s" agent, Sam Ward submits the ballad and received $25. Friends felt this would become a national ballad, and spread like wildfire over the country. The Skeleton in Armor first appeared in the Knickerbocker on January 9, 1841. The ballad would be included in Ballads and Other Poems (dated 1842, issued in late December 1841).

The ballad intensified the Norse theory and confused the issue concerning the Old Stone Tower. Longfellow has been claimed to be the father of the Norse theory. Information supports this claim for Longfellow, (although not corroborative at this point).

Longfellow spent a couple days in Newport in September 1839. During that time he visited George W. Greene’s mother. Longfellow spent most summers in Maine and Nahant, MA - did manage at least two extended Newport vacations.

Planned Newport summer in 1849 forgone, due to dying father. Made grand plans for 1852 - rented Charles T. Hazard’s "Cliff House." Reserved entire house (July - Sept.). Outside boarders not allowed - only friends, which he called "the inmates." These included Julia Ward and Thomas Gold Appleton, brother of Longfellow’s wife Frances.

Longfellow journal entries selected from summer of 1852:

"Here we are, in the clover-fields on the cliff, at Hazard’s house; near the beach, with the glorious sea unrolling its changing billows before us. Here, in truth, the sea speaks Italian; at Nahant it speaks Norse.
Went this morning into the Jewish burying-ground, with a polite old gentleman who keeps the key. It is a shady nook, at the corner of two dusty, frequented streets, with an iron fence and a granite gateway,
... Over one of the graves grows a weeping willow, - a grandchild of the
willow over Napoleon’s grave in St. Helena."

Out of this visit grew a poem The Jewish Cemetery at Newport, composed in 1852 - published in Putnam’s Monthly Magazine (July 1854). This cemetery at the corner of Kay Street, Touro Street and Bellevue Avenue is the oldest Jewish burial ground in the US.

A Longfellow letter dated August 24: "Newport is very gay and brilliant... We have seclusion, no dust, and delightful walks on the turf, to forty steps..." The inmates enjoyed reading, singing (Julia had become greatly improved), writing and even the women played football on the lawn. Envious outsiders nicknamed the house that summer "Hotel Rambouillet." (The Hôtel de Rambouillet in Paris, the first literary salon, exerted an influence on French literary development).

The "Cliff House" not to be confused with the "Cliff Cottage Hotel" no longer exists. On this site today stands Faxon Lodge c. 1902-3 designed by Ogden Codman, Jr. for Frank Sturgis. Now a Salve Regina University dormitory, located adjacent (east) to Faxon Green off Annandale Road.

In 1855, Longfellow family arrived in Newport for summer vacation (July 3-September 12). Lived at Perry House owned by Joshua Perry. Newport folklore dictates he wrote one of his most popular works - The Song of Hiawatha in this house. The claim is partially correct - as revisions, changing and rewriting took place. His letters and journal allow glimpse of going ons and frustrations:

(July 19) "In the revision I have now got to the parts I wrote last summer at Nahant; and I have to change and rewrite a good deal of it. But it is next to impossible to do anything here, with so many people in the house and no school for the children.
(July 26) "To-day is very hot. How can I work? If I shut the window blinds, darkness! If I open them - glare! Chamber-maids chattering about - children crying - and everything sticky except Postage stamps, which having stuck all together like a swarm of bees, refuse further duty. Such is the state of affairs this morning at ten o’clock, when having come to my room to work upon "Hiawatha," ...
(August 20) "In great doubt about a canto of Hiawatha, - whether to retain or suppress it. It is odd how confused one’s mind becomes about such matters from long looking at the same subject."

Longfellow began Hiawatha in June of 1854 at Nahant. Finished in Cambridge on March 21, 1855. Began work on proof-sheets June 4. Hiawatha was published November 10, 1855.

The house of Joshua Perry, known as "Periwinkle" still stands at #58 Perry Street. At the time of Longfellow’s stay, Joshua owned two houses on the property, a house that no longer exists, #48 due west of existing structure. Longfellow may have stayed in either house.

Scholar and educator, a translator, a compiler of anthologies. During his lifetime and afterwards was the most popular and widely read American poet in the world.

Graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825. Professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin (1829-1835), afterwards professor of French and Spanish literature at Harvard.

Married twice. First wife Mary Storer Potter died on European trip (1835). Second wife Frances "Fanny" Appleton. While sealing daughter’s hair with wax, dress caught fire - Longfellow helped, badly burned himself, she died next day (1861). Both tragedies haunt Longfellow for life.

The first American poet to make substantial sums from his work, and at the turn of the 20th century, copies of his poems sold worldwide in excess of one million.

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