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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002
Since the Revolution, New Jersey as a theme had been neglected by its
authors. In the late seventies and eighties, however, many writers, both of
New Jersey and elsewhere, began once more to use its historic and regional possibilities. Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902), who lived a large
part of his life in many New Jersey towns, principally Morristown, vivified in Stories of New Jersey the discovery and settlement of the State and
its part in the Barbary War and the War of 1812. He is best known for
the short story The Lady or the Tiger? and for Rudder Grange and other
novels which experimented with folk material. While Bret Harte (1836-
1902) was in Morristown from 1873 to 1876 he wrote the rousing Revolutionary poem "Caldwell at Springfield," celebrating the parson who furnished the soldiers with Watts' hymnals for gun wadding and created the
battle-cry, "Give 'em Watts, boys!" (see Tour 10).
The Revolution and the military exploits of General Philip Kearny attracted the poet, Thomas Dunn English (1819-1902), who lived in
Newark from 1878 until his death. His most popular work, however, is
the sentimental lyric, "Ben Bolt," which was blared at him so often as a
song that he wished he had never composed the verse.
The salty Swedish fishing and ocean lore of Barnegat City formed the
basis for F. Hopkinson Smith's The Tides of Barnegat. This novel, written by a Pennsylvanian, is generally regarded as a highly successful treatment of New Jersey folk material. Among other out-of-State writers who
dipped into the State's history and personality were Joaquin Miller, author
of a ballad on Washington's crossing of the Delaware, and Mark Twain,
whose travel notes leave something to be desired in the way of compliment toward New Jersey.
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