Mayne Reid
Mayne Reid, born Thomas Mayne Reid on April 4, 1818, in County Down, Ireland, was a notable author known for his adventure novels, particularly for young readers. Initially intending to follow in his family's ministerial footsteps, Reid instead pursued a career in education and writing after immigrating to New Orleans in 1839. His experiences in the United States, including participation in the Mexican War, significantly influenced his storytelling, leading to works that depicted the settings and moods of 19th-century America.
Reid was connected with prominent figures such as Edgar Allan Poe and John James Audubon, and his narrative style earned him recognition despite critics often labeling his works as mere children’s entertainment. Throughout his life, he faced financial difficulties, yet he continued to write prolifically and contribute to various periodicals. His novels not only captivated readers but also played a role in informing Europeans about North America, sometimes inspiring settlement in the region. Reid passed away on October 22, 1883, in London, leaving behind a legacy that influenced many writers, including Robert Louis Stevenson.
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Mayne Reid
Author
- Born: April 4, 1818
- Birthplace: Ballyroney, County Down, Northern Ireland
- Died: October 22, 1883
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Mayne Reid was born Thomas Mayne Reid on April 4, 1818, at Ballyroney in County Down, Ireland (now in Northern Ireland). His father was a Presbyterian minister and, according to sources, his mother’s maiden name possibly was Rutherford. Scholars state that many facts concerning Reid’s life are uncertain because of inaccuracies and exaggerations in his wife’s biography of him.
Several generations of Reid’s ancestors, including his great-grandfather Reverend Thomas Mayn, had served the Presbyterian Church. The oldest son in his family, Reid prepared for a career as a minister at Belfast’s Royal Academical Institute from 1834 to 1838 to please his father but decided not to pursue that vocation. Instead, he tutored pupils in a school he established close to his home.
Eager to explore beyond Ireland, in December, 1839, Reid immigrated from Ireland to New Orleans, Louisiana. He worked at a variety of jobs while traveling throughout the United States. Reid contributed news items to newspapers and wrote a play and several poems for Godey’s Magazine. He met such notable people as naturalist John James Audubon and writer Edgar Allan Poe, who admired Reid’s inventive storytelling.
Joining with the First New York Volunteers to fight in the Mexican War, Reid, a second lieutenant, suffered an injury during combat at Chapultepec in September, 1847. He rose to the rank of captain, a title often incorporated in his byline. He covered the war for Spirit of the Times and, while recuperating, penned the novel War Life: Or, The Adventures of a Light Infantry Officer.
In 1849, Reid decided to support European revolutionaries, staying in London when he arrived after hostilities had ended. He married Elizabeth Hyde in 1853. By 1856, they lived in a Mexican- inspired home Reed constructed and called The Ranche at Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. A London theater staged Reid’s play, The Maroon, in 1865, but he went bankrupt the next year. He created the Little Times, a newspaper for London readers, in 1867.
When that periodical failed, Reid returned to the United States in 1867 and stated he acquired United States’ citizenship, although no records verify that. He wrote pulp novels and printed Onward, a newspaper for boys, from 1869 to 1870. Financially and physically weakened by his endeavors, Reid required hospitalization for his chronic thigh injury from war service and returned to England in 1870. During the next decade, several periodicals, including Marvel and Boys of England, issued Reid’s stories serially. London Society printed several of his tales anonymously in 1872. Reid toured in Wales and relaxed on a Herefordshire farm. By 1881, he regained sufficient vigor to help edit Boys’ Illustrated News and contribute to the New York Daily Tribune. Reid died on October 22, 1883, in London.
Critics dismissed much of Reid’s work as entertainment for children. Despite his literary weaknesses, Reid capably depicted settings and moods of nineteenth century America. Reid’s works appealed to readers of all ages. Translations spread information about North America throughout Europe and motivated some people to settle the frontier. Reid inspired other writers, particularly Robert Louis Stevenson, who appreciated Reid’s stories.