Charles Chauncey Burr (c. 1817–1883) was an American journalist, author and publisher. A native of

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

, he became an intimate friend of

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...

and his family, and published a number of magazines and newspapers.

Biography

Burr had a varied career (he had been the publicity agent for

Lola Montez Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez (), was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludw ...

, the former mistress of

Ludwig I of Bavaria Ludwig I or Louis I (; 25 August 1786 – 29 February 1868) was King of Bavaria from 1825 until the German revolutions of 1848–49, 1848 revolutions in the German states. When he was crown prince, he was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. As ki ...

) and is credited with having written her autobiography. At some point he acquired the title "Reverend", though scholars do not know how. Jay Hubbell, writing in ''

Publications of the Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association of America, often referred to as the Modern Language Association (MLA), is widely considered the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature. The MLA aims to "str ...

'', remarks that even his birth and death dates are uncertain. The authors of ''A general history of the Burr family'' note that their questionnaire was not returned; they did know, apparently, that he was a well-known lecturer and had published a newspaper in

Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; ) is a City (New Jersey), city in Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Hoboken is part of the New York metropolitan area and is the site of Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub. As of the ...

, called the ''Hudson Co. Register''.

Magazines and politics

Burr founded a number of magazines including the Philadelphia-based periodical ''

Nineteenth Century The 19th century began on 1 January 1801 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 (MCM). It was the 9th century of the 2nd millennium. It was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was abolished in ...

'' (first issue published January 1847), the

Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.The Old Guard''. In his youth, he appears to have been a "militant reformer" — he praised the Quaker abolitionist

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...

's poem "The Reformer" in the first issue of ''Nineteenth Century'' and called Whittier "one of the best the purest of all poets". In later issues of the ''Nineteenth Century'', "he published materials indicating a strong anti-slavery bias". Later in life, though, he changed sides completely - during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

he was a Copperhead. The first issue of ''The Old Guard'' contains a lengthy invective by Burr against abolitionist preachers such as

Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the Abolitionism, abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery ...

, saying that their "savage war-cries" indicate they have sided with the devil.

Political activism after the Civil War

After the war, Burr remained active in politics. In an 1866 speech to the Anti-Abolition State Rights Society, he castigated Republicans such as

Thaddeus Stevens Thaddeus Stevens (April 4, 1792August 11, 1868) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, being one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Histo ...

and

Charles Sumner Charles Sumner (January 6, 1811March 11, 1874) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1851 until his death in 1874. Before and during the American Civil War, he was a leading American ...

, and criticized some fellow Democrats, for attempting to steal "Black Republican thunder", saying such Democrats were to Republicans as

mulatto ( , ) is a Race (human categorization), racial classification that refers to people of mixed Sub-Saharan African, African and Ethnic groups in Europe, European ancestry only. When speaking or writing about a singular woman in English, the ...

es (he also called them mongrels) were to Negroes. He also participated in the

1872 Democratic National Convention The 1872 Democratic National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held at Ford's Grand Opera House on East Fayette Street, between North Howard and North Eutaw Streets, in Baltimore, Maryland on July 9 and 10, 1872. It resulted ...

Friendship with Poe

Burr had become good friends with Edgar Allan Poe, whose poetry he admired and imitated (in anonymous poems published in ''The Old Guard'') and had assisted Poe physically and financially during the latter's visit to Philadelphia, one of his last jaunts before his death. Poe wrote to his mother-in-law on 14 July 1849, thanking Burr for his help, "I am indebted for more than life itself to B rr.. When all failed me, he stood my friend, got me money, and saw me off in the cars for Richmond." Burr repaid Poe posthumously by publishing a number of pro-Poe articles in ''The Old Guard'', even poems clearly based on Poe's. Of special value to Poe scholars is an article published in the June 1866 issue, "Poe and his Biographer, Griswold", in which Burr presents documentary evidence that countered some of the criticism leveled against Poe by

Rufus Wilmot Griswold Rufus Wilmot Griswold (February 13, 1815 – August 27, 1857) was an American anthologist, editor, poet, and critic. Born in Vermont, Griswold left home when he was 15 years old. He worked as a journalist, editor, and critic in Philadelphia, New ...

, including letters by those who knew Poe. Burr also officiated at the marriage of another famous writer of the era,

George Lippard George Lippard (April 10, 1822February 9, 1854) was a 19th-century American novelist, journalist, playwright, social activist, and labor organizer. He was a popular author in antebellum America. A friend of Edgar Allan Poe, Lippard advocated a s ...

, held on a rock at sunset above the Wissahickon.

References

External links

Full-text access to ''The Old Guard''
at

Cornell University Library The Cornell University Library is the library system of Cornell University. As of 2014, it holds over eight million printed volumes and over a million ebooks. More than 90 percent of its current 120,000 Periodical literature, periodical ti ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burr, Charles Chauncey 1810s births 1883 deaths Journalists from Maine American magazine editors 19th-century American journalists Maine Democrats American male journalists 19th-century American male writers Copperheads (politics)