James Mathewes Legaré
James Mathewes Legaré was an American poet, novelist, and inventor born on November 26, 1823, in Charleston, South Carolina. Coming from a prominent family with Huguenot roots, he was educated at the College of Charleston and later studied languages and literature at Saint Mary's College in Baltimore. Although he pursued a law career under notable attorney James Louis Petigru, Legaré's artistic passions led him to create paintings and poetry, earning him recognition from figures like John J. Audubon. He later established a girls' school in Aiken, South Carolina, where he also served as postmaster.
Legaré was inventive and held two U.S. patents, showcasing his talent in creating products such as fireproof tiles. His literary career began with publications in newspapers and magazines, where his poetry and serialized novels gained some acclaim. Despite this, modern critiques of his work suggest that his prose often suffered from weak character development and implausible plots. However, his poetry, characterized by sentimental and romantic themes, continues to attract scholarly interest. Unfortunately, Legaré's life was cut short by tuberculosis on May 30, 1859, but his contributions to Southern literature and innovation remain noteworthy.
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Subject Terms
James Mathewes Legaré
Fiction Writer and Poet
- Born: November 26, 1823
- Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina
- Died: May 30, 1859
- Place of death: Aiken, South Carolina
Biography
James Mathewes Legaré was born on November 26, 1823, at Charleston, South Carolina, to John D. Legaré, who edited the Southern Agriculturalist, and Mary Doughty Mathewes Legaré. Descended from Huguenot settlers, Legaré and his two younger siblings belonged to a prestigious extended Charlestonian family. He attended the College of Charleton’s school for children before enrolling in advanced courses. In February, 1842, Legaré completed his degree at the College of Charleston. He studied literature and classical and modern languages at Saint Mary’s College in Baltimore, Maryland, devoting time to oil painting and crafting poems instead of completing his degree. Legaré returned to Charleston, reading law with attorney James Louis Petigru. He painted local scenes, which were displayed publicly, receiving John J. Audubon’s admiration.
Legaré moved to Aiken, South Carolina, in 1846 and earned income from a girls’ school he established and sales of his art and writing. Legaré met Anne C. Andrews, a native of Augusta, Georgia, and married her on March 20, 1850. They did not have children. He was employed as postmaster in Aiken, South Carolina, from 1852 to 1853.
In his laboratory, Legaré enjoyed inventing devices, including fireproof tiles and plasticized cotton furniture, and secured two U.S. patents. He won medals and prizes for his inventions and paintings at Charleston’s 1856 and 1857 Industrial Fairs. Suffering lung ailments, Legaré briefly lived in northern Georgia to recuperate. He succumbed to tuberculosis on May 30, 1859, at Aiken.
Legaré’s writing career began in Baltimore when he published a poem in the Charleston Magnolia and wrote a well-received elegy for his relative Attorney GeneralHugh Swinton Legaré. Legaré created a hoax, writing a fictional document in Latin that indicated his family’s ancestors were tenth century nobility and hiding it in an old box. The March 15, 1844, Charleston Courier printed an account about that heirloom, and other East Coast newspapers carried the story. When his deception was revealed, many relatives angrily denounced Legaré for publicly humiliating his family.
Legaré continued to submit fiction and poems to local and national periodicals. In November, 1844, William Gilmore Simms printed Legaré’s poem “Du Saye” in The Charleston Book. Legaré published his first collection, Orta-Undis, and Other Poems in 1848. He corresponded with Henry W. Longfellow and editors in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Several of Legaré’s novels were serialized in national periodicals. Miss Peck’s Friends appeared in 1853 issues of Putnam’s Monthly Magazine and Cap-and-Bells was printed in 1863 and 1864 issues of Harper’s Magazine.
Contemporary critics praised Legaré’s poetry depicting southern places, people, and nature. Editors presented awards to his stories. Scholars described Legaré’s writing as sentimental and romanticized. They noted that his satires effectively caricatured pretentious socialites. Most modern critics emphasized Legaré’s flawed fiction, relying on unbelievable plots, weak characters, and settings unfamiliar to him. They blamed his isolation from challenging literary influences and attention to inventing for his poor style. Citing qualities in Legaré’s poetry that he did not incorporate in his prose, scholars stated that his verse merited continued study of Legaré as an antebellum author.