Tabb, John B. (John Banister), 1845-1909

John Banister Tabb

From the guide to the John Banister Tabb Letter, 1901, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

American priest and poet.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : [n.p.], to Mr. Small, 1899 Aug. 30. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270575110

From the description of Autograph letters signed, some with initials (11) and postal cards (3) : Ellicott City, Md., to Laurens Maynard, 1900 Jun. 19-1906 Jan. 14. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270580407

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Ellicott City, to "Gentlemen" (probably the publisher, John Wiley), 1900 May 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270574711

From the description of Autograph doggerel verses (2) one signed and sent to Laurens Maynard with a letter from Alice Meynell [not present] : [n.p., n.d.]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270574263

From the description of Autograph letters signed (3) : Ellicott City, Md., to John Wiley, 1900 May 19-1900 Sept. 24. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270580354

John B. Taub was is best known as a poet. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and became a POW. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1884 and later taught English at St. Charles College in Maryland.

From the description of Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1894. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 191048669

Virginia poet and Roman Catholic priest.

From the description of Post Card to the Rev. Father Peterson [manuscript], 1909 July 1. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976933

From the description of Poems, n.d. [manuscript]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647829403

From the description of Papers of John B. Tabb [manuscript], 1886-1907. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976935

From the description of Letters and Poems [manuscript], 1896, n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976950

From the description of Poem and post cards to the Rev. H. E. Craig [manuscript], 1909. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976931

From the description of Letter to Roberts Brother, 1896 June 10 [manuscript]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976905

From the description of John Banister Tabb Poems [manuscript], n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976956

From the description of Letters to Elbert Hubbard and a drawing [manuscript], 1897 1899, n.d., n.d.; [manuscript]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976909

From the description of John Banister Tabb Quotation and self-portrait, n.d. [manuscript]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647976952

John Bannister Tabb was born 22 March 1845 on his father's plantation, "The Forest," in Amelia County, Virginia. His parents were John Yelverton and Marianne Bertrand Archer Tabb. A Confederate blockade runner during the Civil War, Tabb's ship, the "Siren," was captured 4 June 1864, and he was imprisoned at Pt. Lookout, Maryland. There he met and befriended the Georgian poet Sidney Lanier. They remained close friends until Lanier's death in 1881. Through their friendship, Tabb began to write poetry. After the war, Tabb studied theology, expecting to become an Episcopalian priest. However, he became interested in Catholicism and converted in September 1872. He subsequently entered St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Maryland, from which he graduated in 1875. Tabb enrolled in St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore in 1881 and was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1884, though he never held a parish. He returned to St. Charles College and taught English until blindness forced him to retire in 1907. He began to write poetry during the Civil War, but his first volume, Poems, was not published until 1882. His metaphysical little poems gained popularity after the publication of a second volume of the same name in 1894, and he published regularly thereafter. Poor eyesight had plagued Tabb since boyhood, and he was completely blind when he died in Ellicott City, Maryland on 9 November 1909. Tabb's major works include Poems (1882), An Octave to Mary (1893), Poems (1894), Lyrics (1897), Bone Rules: Or, Skeleton of English Grammar (1897), Child Verse (1899), Two Lyrics (1900), Later Lyrics (1902), The Rosary on Rhyme (1884), Quipps and Quiddits (1907) and Later Poems (1910).

From the description of Stiles collection of John B. Tabb, 1870-1968 (James Branch Cabell Library). WorldCat record id: 746802764

Catholic priest, teacher, and poet born at "The Forest," Amelia County, Va.

From the description of Papers : of John B. Tabb, 1879-1897. (Valentine Richmond Historical Center). WorldCat record id: 29551503

John Banister Tabb was an American poet and Catholic priest.

From the description of John Banister Tabb collection of papers, 1894-1904. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122626282

From the guide to the John Banister Tabb collection of papers, 1894-1904, (The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.)

Poet and Roman Catholic priest.

From the description of Papers, 1901-1936. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 39632576

Epithet: Reverend; poet

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001084.0x0001e8

John Bannister Tabb was born 22 March 1845 on his father's plantation, "The Forest", in Amelia County, Virginia. His parents were John Yelverton and Marianne Bertrand Archer Tabb.

A Confederate blockade runner during the Civil War, Tabb's ship, the "Siren", was captured 4 June 1864 and he was imprisoned at Pt. Lookout, Maryland There he met and befriended the Georgian poet Sidney Lanier. They remained close friends until Lanier's death in 1881. Through their friendship, Tabb began to write poetry.

After the war, Tabb studied theology, expecting to become an Episcopalian priest. However, he became interested in Catholicism and converted in September 1872. He subsequently entered St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Maryland, from which he graduated in 1875.

Tabb enrolled in St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore in 1881 and was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1884, though he never held a parish. He returned to St. Charles College and taught English until blindness forced him to retire in 1907.

He began to write poetry during the Civil War, but his first volume, Poems, was not published until 1882. His metaphysical little poems gained popularity after the publication of a second volume of the same name in 1894, and he published regularly thereafter.

Poor eyesight had plagued Tabb since boyhood and he was completely blind when he died in Ellicott City, MD on 9 November 1909.

Tabb's major works include Poems (1882), An Octave to Mary (1893), Poems (1894), Lyrics (1897), Bone Rules: Or, Skeleton of English Grammar (1897), Child Verse (1899), Two Lyrics (1900), Later Lyrics (1902), The Rosary on Rhyme (1884), Quipps and Quiddits (1907) and Later Poems (1910).

From the guide to the Stiles Collection of John B. Tabb, 1870-1968, (Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University)