James Ryder Randall (January 1, 1839 – January 15, 1908) was an American journalist and poet. He is best remembered as the author of "Maryland, My Maryland".
He is most remembered for writing the poem "Maryland, My Maryland," which is also the reason for his being called the "Poet Laureate of the Lost Cause". It became a war hymn of the Confederacy after the poem's words were set to the tune "Lauriger Horatius" (the tune of O Tannenbaum) during the Civil War by Jennie Cary, a member of a prominent Maryland and Virginia family. It later became the state song of Maryland.[1]
After abandoning his studies at Georgetown University, he traveled to South America and the West Indies. Upon his return to the United States he taught English literature at Poydras College in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. It was during this time that he penned "Maryland, My Maryland". Tuberculosis prevented him from enlisting in the Confederate Army.[4] However, he was able to serve with the Confederate States Navy in Wilmington, North Carolina. Though a Marylander by birth, he wrote the poem "Maryland, My Maryland" while living in Augusta, Georgia. He considered himself a Georgian by adoption.[5][6] After the Civil War, Randall became a newspaper editor and a correspondent in Washington, D.C., for The Augusta Chronicle. He continued to write poems, although none achieved the popularity of "Maryland, My Maryland". His later poems were deeply religious in nature.[3]
He died on January 15, 1908, in Augusta, Georgia, and is buried there in Magnolia Cemetery.[7] Augusta honors him on the Monument to Poets of Georgia along with Fr. Abram Ryan, Sydney Lanier, and Paul Hamilton Hayne, all of whom saw Confederate service.[8] The Randall Memorial Committee of Chapter "A" United Daughters of the Confederacy Augusta, Georgia, dedicated a statue to him there in 1936.[9] James Ryder Randall Elementary School in Clinton, Maryland, bears his name.[10] Edward Bailey Eaton referred to him as "Poet of the Confederacy".[11]
ReferencesEdit
^Maryland State Archives (2004). Maryland State Song – "Maryland, My Maryland".
^Phair, Monty. . Baltimore County Public Libraries. Archived from the original on 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
^ abDwyer, William (1911). "James Ryder Randall". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
^"James Ryder Randall". baltimoreauthors.ubalt.edu. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
^A Standard History of Georgia and Georgians, Volume 3 By Lucian Lamar Knight page 1283
Sheet music for "There's life in the old land yet", Augusta, GA: Blackmar & Bro, from the Confederate Imprints Sheet Music Collection
October 20, 2023
james, ryder, randall, january, 1839, january, 1908, american, journalist, poet, best, remembered, author, maryland, maryland, born, 1839, january, 1839baltimore, maryland, diedjanuary, 1908, 1908, aged, augusta, georgia, occupationjournalistpoetnationalityame. James Ryder Randall January 1 1839 January 15 1908 was an American journalist and poet He is best remembered as the author of Maryland My Maryland James Ryder RandallBorn 1839 01 01 January 1 1839Baltimore Maryland U S DiedJanuary 15 1908 1908 01 15 aged 69 Augusta Georgia U S OccupationJournalistPoetNationalityAmericanGenrePoetryRandall at age 22Biography EditRandall was born on January 1 1839 in Baltimore Maryland He was named after Father James A Ryder S J the 20th President of Georgetown University citation needed He is most remembered for writing the poem Maryland My Maryland which is also the reason for his being called the Poet Laureate of the Lost Cause It became a war hymn of the Confederacy after the poem s words were set to the tune Lauriger Horatius the tune of O Tannenbaum during the Civil War by Jennie Cary a member of a prominent Maryland and Virginia family It later became the state song of Maryland 1 Randall wrote the poem after learning that his friend Francis X Ward of Randallstown Maryland was killed by the 6th Massachusetts Militia in the Baltimore Riot of April 19 1861 2 The work was first published a week later on April 26 in the New Orleans newspaper The Sunday Delta 3 After abandoning his studies at Georgetown University he traveled to South America and the West Indies Upon his return to the United States he taught English literature at Poydras College in Pointe Coupee Parish Louisiana It was during this time that he penned Maryland My Maryland Tuberculosis prevented him from enlisting in the Confederate Army 4 However he was able to serve with the Confederate States Navy in Wilmington North Carolina Though a Marylander by birth he wrote the poem Maryland My Maryland while living in Augusta Georgia He considered himself a Georgian by adoption 5 6 After the Civil War Randall became a newspaper editor and a correspondent in Washington D C for The Augusta Chronicle He continued to write poems although none achieved the popularity of Maryland My Maryland His later poems were deeply religious in nature 3 He died on January 15 1908 in Augusta Georgia and is buried there in Magnolia Cemetery 7 Augusta honors him on the Monument to Poets of Georgia along with Fr Abram Ryan Sydney Lanier and Paul Hamilton Hayne all of whom saw Confederate service 8 The Randall Memorial Committee of Chapter A United Daughters of the Confederacy Augusta Georgia dedicated a statue to him there in 1936 9 James Ryder Randall Elementary School in Clinton Maryland bears his name 10 Edward Bailey Eaton referred to him as Poet of the Confederacy 11 References Edit Maryland State Archives 2004 Maryland State Song Maryland My Maryland Phair Monty A Brief History of Randallstown Baltimore County Public Libraries Archived from the original on 2016 12 11 Retrieved 2012 12 05 a b Dwyer William 1911 James Ryder Randall The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol 12 New York Robert Appleton Company Retrieved October 12 2009 James Ryder Randall baltimoreauthors ubalt edu Retrieved 23 September 2017 A Standard History of Georgia and Georgians Volume 3 By Lucian Lamar Knight page 1283 James Ryder Randall Papers 1855 1864 1905 1912 2 lib unc edu Retrieved 23 September 2017 Tour highlights Civil War sites in Augusta Retrieved 23 September 2017 Monument to the Poets of Georgia Augusta Georgia Ohwy com Retrieved 23 September 2017 Frankies Confederate Monuments and Memorials of the South Oocities org Retrieved 23 September 2017 Home 1 pgcps org Archived from the original on 22 February 2018 Retrieved 23 September 2017 Eaton Edward Bailey 1909 Historic Collections in America The Journal of American History 3 3 359 60 External links Edit nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about James Ryder Randall nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to James Ryder Randall nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Ryder Randall Biography at Catholic Encyclopedia James Ryder Randall at Find a Grave Sheet music for There s life in the old land yet Augusta GA Blackmar amp Bro from the Confederate Imprints Sheet Music Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Ryder Randall amp oldid 1141515734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
