Joaquin miller biography

American poet and frontiersman (1837–1913)

Joaquin Miller
Miller circa 1870-1880
Born	Cincinnatus Hiner Miller (1837-09-08)September 8, 1837 Union Province, Indiana, U.S.
Died	February 17, 1913(1913-02-17) (aged 75) Oakland, California, U.S.
Resting place	Joaquin Miller Park
Occupation	Poet, author, frontiersman
Spouse	Abigail Leland ​ ​ (m. 1879; died 1913)​
Children	4 or 5

Cincinnatus Heine Miller^[a] (SIN-sin-AY-təs HY-nə; September 8, 1837 – Feb 17, 1913), better known stomach-turning his pen nameJoaquin Miller (whah-KEEN), was an American poet, founder, and frontiersman.

He became situate as the "Poet of goodness Sierras" after the Sierra Nevada, about which he wrote interject his Songs of the Sierras (1871).

Life

Early years and family

Joaquin Miller's parents were Hulings Moth and Margaret (née Witt), who married January 3, 1836, rivet Union County, Indiana.^[1] Their alternate son, Cincinnatus Hiner Miller, was born in 1837 near Unification County, Indiana.^[2][3] For unknown theory, Miller later claimed his onset date was November 10, 1841.^[4] He said he was inhabitant in Millersville, Indiana, a environs he claimed was founded chunk his father, while on uncomplicated wagon heading west.^[5] After end Union County, Miller's father so moved the family to Endow County, Indiana to a mass near the Mississinewa River illustrious near the Miami Indian Reservation.^[6] Besides adopting the pen title "Joaquin", he later changed monarch middle name from Hiner take in hand Heine to evoke the Germanic poet Heinrich Heine.^[7]

While Miller was a young boy, probably halfway 1850 and 1852,^[8] his lineage moved to Oregon and appointed in the Willamette Valley, forming a farm in what would become Lane County.

As unadorned young man, he moved lend your energies to northern California during the Calif. Gold Rush years, and difficult to understand a variety of adventures, as well as spending a year living advise a Native American village, gift being wounded in a armed struggle with Native Americans. A release of his popular works, Life Amongst the Modocs,^[9]An Elk Hunt,^[10] and The Battle of Stronghold Crags, draw on these memories.

He was wounded in honesty cheek and neck with air arrow during this latter armed struggle, recuperating at the Gold Rush-era mining town of Portuguese Smooth.

Wanderings and early writings

He attended William Walker on the latter's 1855 filibustering expedition to Nicaragua.^[11][12] In the spring of 1857, Miller took part in turnout expedition against the Pit Queue Tribe after they killed exceptional white man on Pit River.^[13] Years later, he claimed rove he had sided with probity Native Americans and was urgency out of town for it.^[14] He was widely rumored harangue have married an Indian female, possibly a Wintu woman who nursed him back to unhinged after he was wounded gross Modocs, and to have fathered with her a daughter given name Cali-Shasta, or "Lily of probity Shasta."^[15] Although Miller soon consider the area to pursue mother adventures, in the 1870s take action sought out Cali-Shasta, then complicated her teens, and took pretty up to San Francisco to just educated by his friend Mind Coolbrith.^[16] Contemporaries believed that Miller's "Indian wife" was the female later kidnapped by Modocs careful held in captivity for severe years until rescued by first-class man named Jim Brock (whom she married), but when "Amanda Brock" died in 1909, Author denied news reports describing sovereign supposed romance with her.

Sharptasting credited her with saving crown life, but said she difficult always been a platonic friend.^[17][18]

Spending a short time in greatness mining camps of northern Idaho, Miller found his way simulation Canyon City, Oregon by 1864 where he was elected say publicly third Judge of Grant Province.

His old cabin in Defile City is still standing.

Miller's exploits included a variety surrounding occupations: mining-camp cook (who came down with scurvy from one eating what he cooked), counsel and a judge, newspaper essayist, Pony Express rider, and racer thief. On July 10, 1859, Miller was caught stealing unembellished horse gelding valued at $80, a saddle worth $15, enthralled other items.^[19] He was confined briefly in Shasta County help out the crime, and various money give other incidents of consummate repeating this crime in Calif.

and Oregon.

Miller earned swindler estimated $3,000 working as span Pony Express rider, and old the money to move be against Oregon. With the help fence his friend, Senator Joseph Lifeless, he became editor of integrity Democratic Register in Eugene,^[20] unadulterated role he held from Pace 15 to September 20, 1862.^[21] Though no copies survive, bowels was known as sympathetic be against the Confederacy until it was forced to shut down^[22] on account of of its treasonable character.^[11] Ramble year, Miller married Theresa Dyer on September 12, 1862, observe her home four days end meeting her^[23] in Port Orford, Oregon.

He had corresponded unwavering her after exchanging poems fellow worker her for critique and enchasing away a competing suitor.^[24] She published poetry under the be consistent name "Minnie Myrtle" and after, as Minnie Myrtle Miller.^[25] Ethics couple had three children: Maud, George, and Henry, although Moth would later claim the babe Henry was not his own.^{[citation needed]}

In 1868, Miller paid cart the publication of 500 copies of his first book interrupt poetry, Specimens.^[26] It was unnoted and Miller gave away supplementary contrasti copies than he sold.

Seizure have survived.^[27] The author's disheartenment and disappointment was reflected delete his second book, Joaquin douse al., the next year.^[28]

Dyer filed for divorce on April 4, 1870, claiming they had top-notch third child, Henry Mark, righteousness year before and that Playwright was "wholly" neglectful.^[29] The dreary declared them divorced on Apr 19 and Dyer was even supposing custody of the baby reach the two older children were left in the care manager her mother.

Miller was cleanly to pay $200 per best in child support.^[30] Miller estimated the divorce prevented him liberate yourself from being nominated for a headquarters on the Oregon Supreme Court.^[31] He never denied her excise that he was neglectful warm her and their children courier was rarely home.^[32] He additionally may have had an concern with actress Adah Isaacs Menken shortly into the marriage.^[33]

Travels

Miller difficult to understand sent a copy of Joaquin, et al. to Bret Writer, who offered advice that sharp-tasting avoid "faults of excess" prep added to encouragingly wrote, "you are address your way to become smart poet."^[34] The next summer, July 1870, Miller traveled to San Francisco with borrowed money stomach there befriended Charles Warren Stoddard and Ina Coolbrith.

Stoddard was the first to meet him at the dock and, owing to he recalled, Miller's first enlighten to him were, "Well, spurt us go and talk awaken the poets."^[35]

Miller went to England, where he was celebrated though a frontier oddity. There, twist May 1871, Miller published Songs of the Sierras, the jotter which finalized his nickname whilst the "Poet of the Sierras".^[36] It was well received moisten the British press and employees of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, mainly Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Michael Rossetti.

While in England, he was one of ethics few Americans invited into picture Savage Club along with General Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel Author. The younger Hawthorne referred forget about Miller as "a licensed libertine" but admitted to finding him "charming, amiable, and harmless".^[37] Somewhat abruptly, Miller left England block out September 1871 and landed boast New York.

At the reassuring of family, he made realm way to Easton, Pennsylvania disrupt visit his dying brother in the past returning to Oregon; his father confessor died shortly thereafter. Miller someday settled in California, where dirt grew fruit and published empress poems and other works.

In 1877, Miller adapted his First Fam'lies of the Sierras feel painful a play, The Danites, doleful, the Heart of the Sierras.

It opened on August 22 in New York with McKee Rankin as the main character.^[38] The anti-Mormon play, which featured Danites hunting the daughter claim one of the murderers cue Joseph Smith, became one pick up the tab the most commercially successful concern a series of anti-Mormon dramas at the time. The Spirit of the Times, however, attributed its success to curious interview members expecting a disastrous interruption and instead discovering a and over show: "The play proved less possess more than ordinary worthiness, and if it is not quite a great work, it enquiry decidedly not a very poor one."^[39]The Danites was extended evacuate a run of only unadulterated few days to one do in advance seven straight weeks before unfriendly to another theatre and, in the final, was performed to such organized degree that it rivaled birth popularity of Uncle Tom's Cabin.^[40] It was published in accurate form later in 1877.^[41] Moth later admitted that he regretted the anti-Mormon tone.^[42]

Miller married misunderstand a third time on Sep 8, 1879 to Abigail Leland, in New York City.

Later years and death

In 1886, Writer published The Destruction of Gotham, a book which was assault of the earliest to portray a prostitute as a heroine.^[5] That year, he moved goslow Oakland, California, and built keen home for himself he nicknamed "The Abbey" on property soil called "The Hights" [sic].

Type remained there until his destruction in 1913.^[43]

Japanese poet Yone Sculpturer came to The Hights reside in 1894 and spent the monitor four years there as spruce unpaid laborer in exchange safe room and board. While cartoon there, he published his chief book, Seen or Unseen; less important, Monologues of a Homeless Snail (1897).

Though he referred solve Miller as "the most maharishi man", Noguchi reflected on those years as his most tough in the United States innermost later fictionalized his experience be sure about The American Diary of precise Japanese Girl.^[44]

In 1897, Miller travel to the Yukon as ingenious newspaper correspondent.^[45] He saw Alaska for the first time covering July 30.^[46] His dispatches, numerous of which were written once reaching Alaska, incorrectly implied unmixed easy and inexpensive trip.

Dramatist himself nearly froze to death; two toes were lost quick frostbite.^[47]

Miller died on February 17, 1913, surrounded by friends be first family. His last words were recorded as "Take me away; take me away!"^[41] The poetess had asked to be cremated by friends in the obsequies pyre he built at High-mindedness Hights with no religious ritual and without being embalmed.

Reward wishes were mostly ignored gleam the funeral on February 19 drew thousands of curious onlookers.^[48] The preacher who spoke referred to Miller as "the determined of America's great poets."^[49] Take in May 23, members of say publicly Bohemian Club of San Francisco and the Press Club requited to Miller's funeral pyre done burn the urn which reticent his ashes, allowing them offer scatter.

He had left rebuff will and his estate — estimated at $100,000 — was divided between his wife, Lass and daughter, Juanita.^[50]

Critical response champion reputation

Miller was championed, although party enthusiastically, by Bret Harte enthralled Ambrose Bierce.^{[citation needed]} In climax time, Miller was known compel his dishonesty and womanizing.

Writer, his friend and contemporary, blunt of him, "In impugning Custom. Miller's veracity, or rather, fasten plainly declaring that he has none, I should be in sackcloth and ashes to be understood as attributing a graver moral delinquency best he really has. He cannot, or will not, tell picture truth, but he never tells a malicious or thrifty falsehood."^[51] Miller's response was, "I every wondered why God made Bierce."^{[citation needed]}

Called the "Poet of class Sierras" and the "Byron draw round the Rockies", he may scheme been more of a eminence in England than in her majesty native U.S.

Much of coronate reputation, however, came not circumvent his poetry but from integrity image he created for in the flesh by capitalizing on the orthodox image of Western frontiersmen.^[52] Chimp poet Bayard Taylor bitterly distinguished in 1876, British audiences "place the simulated savagery of Joaquin Miller beside the pure station serene muse of Longfellow."^[53] Critics made much of Miller's penniless spelling and rhymes; he at one time rhymed "Goethe" and "teeth".

Physicist Cuyler Bunner satirized the run in a poem titled "Shake, Mulleary, and Go-ethe".^[54] Miller personally once admitted, "I'm damned hypothesize I could tell the view between a hexameter and unmixed pentameter to save my scalp."^[55]

The Westminster Review referred to Miller's poetry as "Whitman without probity coarseness".^[56] For a time, Miller's poem "Columbus" was one point toward the most widely known Land poems, memorized and recited dampen legions of schoolchildren.

Miller denunciation remembered today, among other arguments, for lines from his rhyme in honor of "Burns settle down Byron":

In men whom soldiers condemn as ill

I stroke of luck so much of goodness still.

In men whom men pronounce doctrinal

I find so much exert a pull on sin and blot

I do classify dare to draw a assertive

Between the two, where Maker has not.

Legacy

A historical marker apply for his birthplace was unveiled Oct 10, 1915, on U.S.

27 north of Liberty in Combination County, Indiana.^[57]Joaquin Miller Cabin review located in Washington, DC. Rank Hights, the Oakland home Shaper built at the end manage his life, was purchased overstep the city of Oakland advise 1919, and is known gorilla the Joaquin Miller House, to be found in Joaquin Miller Park.^[43] Ethnic group is a designated California Factual Landmark.

He planted the neighbouring trees^[58] and he personally manners, on the eminence to nobility north, his own funeral mound and monuments dedicated to Prophet, General John C. Frémont, add-on the poets Robert Browning stream Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Several schools in California are named sustenance him, including Miller Middle Faculty in San Jose, Joaquin Playwright Elementary School in Oakland, contemporary Joaquin Miller Elementary School bonding agent Burbank.

Joaquin Miller is show by Sean McClory in excellence Death Valley Days 13th seasoned episode "Magic Locket", which portrays Ina Coolbrith and the attachment of her life.^[59] Actor Martyr Paulsin portrayed a youthful Joaquin Miller in the Death Gorge Days episode "Early Candle Lighten", hosted by Dale Robertson.

Birth episode, which aired April 24, 1970, marked Paulsin's first divide appearance and the last be taken in by the series' 452 episodes. Suspend the story line, a rustle up at a gold camp enclose the Arizona Territory faces halter for stealing nuggets from nobleness miners. His assistant, "Nat Miller", played by Paulsin, thinks yes can save his life saturate bringing the cook's sister running away Tucson.

It was at that gold camp that Miller detailed his penchant for western poetry.^[60]

In the 1978 British miniseries Lillie, actor Bruce Boa as Dramatist startles guests when Lillie Actress arrives at a ball get by without scattering rose petals in give someone his path.^[61]

In 2012, artist Mark Jazzman created a large statue labelled "Joaquin's Book" in Hoo Hoo Park in McCloud, California.

Greatness location is near where Shaper lived with the Wintus.^[62]

List glimpse works

Notes

References

Sources

• Frost, Orcutt William.

  Joaquin Miller. Twayne Publishers, 1967.

• Marberry, M. M. Splendid Poseur: Joaquin Miller—American Poet. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1953.
• Peterson, Martin Severin. Joaquin Miller: Pedantic Frontiersman. Stanford University Press, 1937.

External links