Richard Grant White - Biography

Biography

White was born 23 May 4 1821 in New York City to Richard Mansfield White (b: 26 May 1797, Bloomfield, NJ) and Ann Eliza (Tousey or Towsey) White (b: 5 August 1802). He married Alexina Black Maese (b 4 Jul 1830) on 16 Oct 1850, they had 2 children Richard Mansfield White (b 25 Dec 1851) and Stanford White (b 9 Nov 1853 in NY, NY).

White attended Bristol College, Pa., 1835–37; New York University, 1837 graduating with A.B. in 1839 distinguishing himself at a scholar of letters and mathematics and was the orator and Grand Marshal at Commencement, and at a later date receiving a M.A. from New York University. He studied medicine and law being admitted to Bar in 1845.

White was one of the foremost literary and musical critics of his day. He had a distinguished career in journalism and literature as an editorial writer and musical critic for "The Courier and Enquirer," continuing when it merged into "The New York World". He wrote many books and articles for the leading American magazines, and contributed to Appleton's and Johnson's Cyclopsedias. "Words and Their Uses" being one of his most noted books. While writing on a wide range of subject his essay The Public-School Failure established him as a prominent and controversial social critic.

White was a Vice-President of the New Shakespeare Society of London, England and edited a twelve-volume edition of Shakespeare in 1857–65. He was Superintendent Revenue Marine Bureau, New York, 1861–78. White owned and maybe played a violincello now part of the collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.