Manuscript Group 93, Guide to the Book of Verse of Richard Bingham Davis, Poet [ca. 1790-1797}

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Restrictions
Access Points
Administrative Information

Guide to the Book of Verse of Richard Bingham Davis, Poet [ca. 1790-1797]
MG 93

The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249
Email: library@jerseyhistory.org
URL: https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2004 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by Bob Golon as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Danielle Kovacs. February 2004. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.

Descriptive Summary

Biographical Note

Richard Bingham Davis was born in New York City on August 21, 1771. He attended college at Columbia University, but did not graduate. He first pursued the woodcarving business, but writing was his passion. In 1796, he became the editor of The Diary, a daily New York gazette, and he was a writer for that publication for one year. He then pursued the mercantile business, while writing his poetry and verse on the side, until his death in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1799, at the age of 28. Davis was described as awkward in manner and speech, and his poems reflect personal sentiment and melancholy. Davis was a member of the Calliopean Society of New York City, and they contributed his work to be published by Thomas and James Swords in 1807.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of one book of poetry, sonnets, and verse by Richard Bingham Davis, circa 1790-1797. Some selections were written intended to be put to music. Selections include, “Elegy on a Broken Flute,” “Virtue,” “Man was Born to Weep,” “Picture of Consumption,” “A Reflection,” “Hymn of the Morning Stars,” “Lines on the Death of Mr. Abraham Skinner,” “The Widow,” “To a Sleeping Infant,” “The Exile,” “The Flower,” “Emma’s Grave,” six different writings of “To Julia,” and the humorous “Elegy on an Old Wig, Found in the Street.”

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff.

Use Restrictions

Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

The New Jersey Historical Society complies with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.

Subject Names:

Davis, Richard Bingham, 1771-1799.
Swords, James, 1765-1846.
Swords, R. S., fl. 1875.
Swords, Thomas, 1764-1843.

Subject Organizations:

Calliopean Society of New York City, circa 1790-1807.

Subject Topics:

Poetry–United States.

Subject Places:

New Brunswick (N.J.)

Document Types:

Poems.
Sonnets.

Subject Occupations:

Poets–New Jersey.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

The volume contains the inscription of R.S. Swords saying that the book was given to him by his father, James Swords, whose firm published Davis’ works in 1807.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 93, Richard Bingham Davis Book of Verse, The New Jersey Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

Donated to the New Jersey Historical Society by R.S. Swords in 1875.

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