William Wilson (poet)
William Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | August 25, 1860 (aged 58) |
| Occupation(s) | Poet, bookseller, publisher |
| Years active | Early 1820s–1860 |
| Known for | Poetry, publishing in the United States |
William Wilson (born 25 December 1801, died 25 August 1860) was a poet, bookseller, and publisher of Scottish-American heritage.
Biography
Originating from Perthshire, Scotland, Wilson’s early exposure to poetry was shaped by his mother’s Jacobite ballads. Following the collapse of his father’s business and subsequent death, Wilson encountered financial difficulties that disrupted his schooling. At the age of 22, he assumed the role of editor for the Dundee Literary Olio, where he contributed a significant amount of both prose and poetry.
In 1826, Wilson married and moved to Edinburgh, where he became part of Christopher North’s literary circle. That same year, the death of his first wife deeply influenced his poetic work. Four years later, in 1830, he wed Miss Sibbald from Borthaugh, who was connected to James Sibbald, a noted literary antiquarian. They had three sons together.
Wilson’s poems appeared in well-known publications such as the Edinburgh Literary Journal, and he was actively involved in Edinburgh’s literary community. He was often invited to Mrs. Anne Grant’s residence, who possessed a portrait of him painted by Sir John Watson Gordon.
At age 32, Wilson emigrated to the United States and established himself in Poughkeepsie, New York. There, he pursued careers as a bookseller and publisher, initially partnering with the elder sibling of Bishops Alonzo and Horatio Potter and later collaborating with his own son James Grant Wilson. He contributed anonymously to various American magazines and occasionally wrote for British periodicals including Blackwood and Chambers's Journal. His poetry was featured in anthologies such as The Cabinet, Modern Scottish Minstrel, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Poems of Places, although he never released a solo volume during his lifetime.
Wilson passed away in Poughkeepsie. After his death, selections of his poetry were published beginning in 1869 alongside a memoir by Benson J. Lossing; further editions were issued in 1875 and 1884. His contemporaries, including Willis and William Cullen Bryant, commended his lively ballad style.
All three sons from his second marriage served in the American Civil War: James attained the rank of brevet brigadier general; another son died while leading his company at Fredericksburg; the youngest enlisted at sixteen alongside schoolmates.
References
- Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography: Wilson, James (1889)
- Encyclopedia Americana: Wilson, William (1920)
- New International Encyclopedia: Wilson, William (1905)
External links
- Wikimedia Commons category: William Wilson (poet)
- Dictionary of National Biography: Wilson, William (1801-1860) by James Grant Wilson