James McHenry
James McHenry, born in December 1785 in Larne, Northern Ireland, was a notable writer and medical practitioner, distinct from the American patriot of the same name. Raised in a devout Presbyterian family, he faced personal challenges, including a hunchback condition likely resulting from an accident in childhood. Although his mother hoped he would pursue a religious career, McHenry initially aspired to be a doctor. He married Jane Robinson around 1812-1813 and began his professional journey in Belfast, where he edited a literary journal and opened a medical practice.
In 1816, McHenry immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Philadelphia, where he transitioned from medicine to businesses related to Irish goods while continuing his literary endeavors. He became known for his critical writings on American literature and published several volumes of poetry, with "The Pleasures of Friendship" being particularly well-received. McHenry also wrote historical fiction, exploring themes related to Irish immigrants and social issues. Despite facing criticism for his ambitious works, including an epic poem, he remained engaged in literary and Irish American affairs until his appointment as U.S. consul to Londonderry in 1841, where he served until his death in 1845.
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James McHenry
Poet
- Born: December 20, 1785
- Birthplace: Larne, Ulster (now Northern Ireland)
- Died: July 21, 1845
- Place of death: Larne, Ulster (now Northern Ireland)
Biography
James McHenry, the writer (not to be confused with James McHenry, the patriot and founding father of the United States), was born in Larne, Northern Ireland, then known as Ulster, in December, 1785. His parents were George and Mary Smiley McHenry, staunch Presbyterians, and his father died when McHenry was twelve years old. McHenry grew up as a hunchback, possibly due to a childhood accident. After some schooling in Latin and Greek, it is not clear whether he continued his education at the college level. His mother had wanted him to be a clergyman; he wanted to be a doctor, but there are no records to prove he ever studied medicine, though he was later to run a medical practice.
McHenry married Jane Robinson in 1812 or 1813, and they moved to Belfast, where he worked for an apothecary before opening his own medical office. In 1814, a son was born and McHenry was made editor of a Belfast literary journal, his first experience in that field. In 1816 the family immigrated to the United States, living for awhile in Baltimore and Pittsburgh before finally settling in Philadelphia in 1823. In Philadelphia, McHenry first opened a medical practice and then became a merchant in Irish goods. He also was the editor of The American Monthly Magazine for a brief period before becoming literary editor of The Philadelphia Album in 1827, and poetry critic for The American Quarterly Review in 1828. In the latter position, he savagely attacked a good deal of contemporary American literature.
At this time, his own writing was developing, making him one of the first men of letters in the new American republic. His earliest American work was his volume of poetry, The Pleasures of Friendship (1822), containing the title long poem and some minor earlier poems. This collection was probably his most popular volume of poetry; it saw nine American and British editions in his lifetime. Other poetry volumes included Waltham: An American Revolutionary Tale in Three Cantos (1823) and The Antediluvians, published in 1839 in London and the next year in Philadelphia. This latter poem is his attempt to write an epic, being an apocalyptic account of the Biblical story of the flood, ten books long. It was viciously attacked in various journals and marked the end of his writing career.
McHenry also wrote quite prolifically in the field of historical fiction. His first novel was The Wilderness (1823), dealing with Irish immigrants and the early George Washington. This was followed by his novel O’Halloran (1824), set entirely in Ireland during the Irish rebellion of 1798, which McHenry would have remembered as a twelve-year-old boy. His next book was another Irish novel, The Hearts of Steel (1825). This book contains social commentary, focusing on the theme of absentee landlords and the economic harm the English were causing the Irish.
McHenry’s next two novels abandoned Irish settings for American locales: The Betrothed of Wyoming (1830) and Meredith (1831), a tale of the American Revolution, involving Quakers and their views on military service. His one drama, The Usurper (1829) was not a financial success when performed in Philadelphia and resulted in his being excommunicated from the Presbyterian church. Having become an American citizen in 1828, he remained active in Irish American affairs and was appointed the United States’ consul to Londonderry, Ireland, from 1841 until his death four years later.