Thompson, Maurice, 1844-1901

Maurice Thompson was an American author and critic who worked in a number of fields. Born in Indiana, his family moved to Georgia in his youth, where he was home schooled, and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. After the war he worked a variety of jobs before moving back to Indiana, eventually opening a law office. As a young lawyer he began publishing articles, popular poetry, and old-fashioned adventure novels; his greatest success was probably a series of articles popularizing archery. As a critic, he was uncomfortable with modern literature, preferring old-fashioned values. He derided realism, and sought to turn tastes away from Zola, back to Scott. He also served in the Indiana State Legislature, and as state geologist of Indiana.

From the description of Maurice Thompson letter to My dear Mr. Lovejoy, 1887 March 22. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 70662210

American author; State geologist of Indiana and chief of the Dept. of Natural History.

From the description of An archer on the Kankakee, [1900 June]. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 55057773

American writer.

From the description of Letter to "North America Review," [manuscript], 1888 August 15. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647806182

James Maurice Thompson, attorney, author, editor, naturalist, and geologist, was born 9 September 1844, in Fairfield, Indiana, and died 15 February 1901, at Sherwood Place, in Crawfordsville, Indiana. His family came to the Coosawattee River valley of north Georgia about 1854, and Thompson served in the Confederate Army as a scout. After the war, he explored and studied south Georgia and Florida, then went to Crawfordsville, Indiana, with his brother Will Thompson, where he worked as a civil engineer, married Alice R. Lee (1868), and practiced law (1871-1884). After Thompson published a book of poems, SONGS OF FAIR WEATHER (1883), he gave up law to write full-time (1884), became state geologist of Indiana (1885-1888), an editor for the New York INDEPENDENT (1889-1901), and wrote ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES (1900) and other historical romances. He spent winters on the Gulf Coast throughout his life, and many of his novels, stories, and articles have Southern settings.

From the description of Maurice Thompson papers, 1867-1940. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122552326

American novelist.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Crawfordsville, Ind., to Joseph B. Gilder, 1884 Aug. 15. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 645500134

Maurice Thompson was an American author and critic who worked in a number of fields. As a young lawyer he began publishing articles, popular poetry and old-fashioned adventure novels; his greatest success was probably a series of articles popularizing archery. As a critic, he was uncomfortable with modern literature, preferring old-fashioned values. He derided realism, and sought to turn tastes away from Zola, back to Scott. He also served in the Civil War, in the Indiana State Legislature, and as state geologiist of Indiana.

From the description of Maurice Thompson letter to E.C. Stedman, 1892. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 55482645

American author.

From the description of Maurice Thompson letter to Thomas D. Supplee, 1884 October 16. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 276999274

James Maurice Thompson (1844-1901), poet and author, was born on September 9, 1844, in Indiana. His family moved outside of Rome, Georgia, in 1854. At the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the Confederate States Army and served for three years. In 1868 he moved back to Indiana and became chief engineer for a railroad that was under construction. He married Alice Lee in 1868. Thompson was elected to the state legislature in 1879 and served as State Geologist of Indiana. He was also a staff writer for the New York Independent. Thompson died in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

From the description of James Maurice Thompson letter, 1868. (Georgia Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 144570308