Robert Underwood Johnson
Encyclopedia
Robert Underwood Johnson (January 12, 1853 – October 14, 1937) was a U.S.
writer and diplomat. His wife was Katharine Johnson.
, Johnson joined the staff
of The Century Magazine
in 1873. He became the magazine's associate editor in 1881, and in 1909, on the death of Richard Watson Gilder
, succeeded to the editorial chair
, which he occupied until May 1913. Johnson was also a longtime writer and editor for Scribner's Monthly.
Using the influence of The Century Magazine
, Underwood, in conjunction with famed naturalist John Muir
, was one of the driving forces behind the creation of Yosemite National Park
in the California in 1890. In 1889, Johnson also encouraged Muir to "start an association" to help protect the Sierra Nevada, inspiring the formation of the Sierra Club
in 1892.
In the 1890s, he and his wife Katharine became very close friends with the inventor Nikola Tesla
.
Underwood became noted early for his work on international copyright. As secretary of the American Copyright League, he helped get the Law of 1891 passed, for which he was decorated by the French
and Italian
governments. He had a hand in many important publishing undertakings, and it was on his persuasion that Ulysses S. Grant
wrote his Memoirs. He became permanent secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
. He was a driving force for the effort to acquire and preserve as a museum the rooms in Rome where the poet John Keats
and his friend Joseph Severn spent Keats's final months in 1821. You can visit this Keats Shelley Memorial in Rome today, where its windows look out over the Spanish Steps.
In 1916 he acted as pallbearer for the funeral of Alexander Wilson Drake
. In 1917 he organized and was chairman of the American Poets' Ambulance in Italy. This organization presented 112 ambulances to the Italian army in four months. In 1918–19 he was president of the New York Committee of the Italian War Relief Fund of America. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy from April 1920 to July 1921, and represented the United States
as observer at the San Remo conference
of the Supreme Council of the League
. He was decorated by the Italian government in recognition of his work in behalf of good relations between Italy and the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer and diplomat. His wife was Katharine Johnson.
Biography
A native of Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Johnson joined the staff
Staff of office
A staff of office is a staff, the carrying of which often denotes an official's position, a social rank or a degree of social prestige.Apart from the ecclesiastical and ceremonial usages mentioned below, there are less formal usages. A gold- or silver-topped cane can express social standing...
of The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
in 1873. He became the magazine's associate editor in 1881, and in 1909, on the death of Richard Watson Gilder
Richard Watson Gilder
Richard Watson Gilder was an American poet and editor.-Life and career:Gilder was born at Bordentown, New Jersey. He was the son of Jane Gilder and the Rev. William Henry Gilder, and educated at his father's seminary in Flushing, Queens. There he learned to set type and published the St. Thomas...
, succeeded to the editorial chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
, which he occupied until May 1913. Johnson was also a longtime writer and editor for Scribner's Monthly.
Using the influence of The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
, Underwood, in conjunction with famed naturalist John Muir
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
, was one of the driving forces behind the creation of Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
in the California in 1890. In 1889, Johnson also encouraged Muir to "start an association" to help protect the Sierra Nevada, inspiring the formation of the Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
in 1892.
In the 1890s, he and his wife Katharine became very close friends with the inventor Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
.
Underwood became noted early for his work on international copyright. As secretary of the American Copyright League, he helped get the Law of 1891 passed, for which he was decorated by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
governments. He had a hand in many important publishing undertakings, and it was on his persuasion that Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
wrote his Memoirs. He became permanent secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 250-member honor society; its goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Located in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan in New York, it shares Audubon Terrace, its Beaux Arts campus on...
. He was a driving force for the effort to acquire and preserve as a museum the rooms in Rome where the poet John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
and his friend Joseph Severn spent Keats's final months in 1821. You can visit this Keats Shelley Memorial in Rome today, where its windows look out over the Spanish Steps.
In 1916 he acted as pallbearer for the funeral of Alexander Wilson Drake
Alexander Wilson Drake
Alexander Wilson Drake was an American artist, collector and critic, born near Westfield, NJ. He studied wood engraving under John W. Orr of New York city, as well as oil and water-color painting. He was in the wood engraving business on his own account in New York city from 1865 to 1870...
. In 1917 he organized and was chairman of the American Poets' Ambulance in Italy. This organization presented 112 ambulances to the Italian army in four months. In 1918–19 he was president of the New York Committee of the Italian War Relief Fund of America. He served as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy from April 1920 to July 1921, and represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as observer at the San Remo conference
San Remo conference
The San Remo Conference was an international meeting of the post-World War I Allied Supreme Council, held in Sanremo, Italy, from 19 to 26 April 1920. It was attended by the four Principal Allied Powers of World War I who were represented by the prime ministers of Britain , France and Italy and...
of the Supreme Council of the League
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. He was decorated by the Italian government in recognition of his work in behalf of good relations between Italy and the United States.
Writings
- with Clarence Clough BuelClarence Clough BuelClarence Clough Buel was a United States editor and author, most notable for his work with Robert Underwood Johnson to produce the 1887 book Battles and Leaders of the Civil War and its predecessors.-Biography:...
, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1887–88) - The Winter Hour and Other Poems (New York: The Century, 1892).
- Songs of Liberty and Other Poems (New York: The Century, 1897).
- Poems (New York: The Century, 1902).
- Saint Gaudens: An Ode (third edition, 1910)
- Saint Gaudens: An Ode (fourth edition, 1914)
- Poems of War and Peace (1916)
- Italian Rhapsody and Other Poems of Italy (1917)
- Collected Poems, 1881–1919 (New Haven: Yale University, 1920).
- Remembered Yesterdays (Boston: Little, Brown, 1923).
- Your Hall of FameHall of Fame for Great AmericansThe Hall of Fame for Great Americans is the original hall of fame in the United States. "Fame" here means "renown"...
: Being an Account of the Origin, Establishment, and History of This Division of New York University, from 1900 to 1935 inclusive (New York: New York University, 1935).
External links
- Guide to the Robert Underwood Johnson papers at The Bancroft Library
- Guide to the Robert Underwood Johnson papers at New York Public Library
- March 19, 1916, New York Times, Says “Vers Libre” Is Prose, Not Poetry; Robert Underwood Johnson Deplores Excesses of Ultra-Modern Writers in Rebellion Against What They Call Tyranny of Form