American poet, playwright, and editor. Ridgely (Frederick Ridgely) Torrence attended Miami University, Oxford, Ohio for two years before entering Princeton University as a junior. While at Princeton, he served on the editorial boards of the Nassau Literary Magazine and the Princeton Tiger. Upon graduation, Torrence moved to New York, where for six years he was a librarian in the New York Public Library. He worked as an editor of the Cosmopolitan and as poetry editor of The New Republic from 1920 to 1933.
He published several books of verse, including "The House of a Hundred Lights" in 1900, "El Dorado, a Tragedy," in 1903, and "Abelard and Heloise," a poetic drama in 1907.
During 1938, Torrence was Poet in Residence at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, and in 1941-42 he was a Fellow in Creative Writing at Miami University. In 1942, the National Poetry Center in New York awarded him poet of the year.
Torrence's "Plays for a Negro Theater" was published in 1917, and has been called a group of "the first serious plays written about African-Americans, and the first to be acted by a Negro cast." Later, Torrence wrote "The Story of John Hope," a dramatic biography of the black educator, who was president of Morehouse College of Atlanta University.
Torrence also wrote "Hesperides," "Danse Calinda" and "Poems," the last winning the Shelly Memorial Prize for 1941.
He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Torrence is better known for his close relationships with American poets and writers like Robert Frost, Edwin Markham, William Vaughn Moody, and Edwin Arlington Robinson.
He was survived by his wife, Olivia Howard Dunbar, who he married Feb. 3, 1914, and brother, Findley McDowell Torrence. He was predeceased by his parents, David Torrence and Mary Susan Ridgely, and sister Pauline Mary Torrence.
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Educated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and later at Princeton University, where he was a member of the Triangle Club, and was on the editorial staff of the Tiger and the Nassau Lit. He was librarian of the Astor Library in New York from 1897 to 1901, and served in same capacity in the Lenox Library, 1901 to 1903. In76 editorial work, he served on the Critic from 1903 to 1904, on the Cosmopolitan from 1905 to 1907, and on the New Republic from 1920 to 1933. His success as a lyric poet secured for him a membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He is the author of "The House of a Hundred Lights," 1900; "El Dorado," a tragedy, in 1903; "Abelard and Heloise," in 1907; "Hesperides", in 1925; negro plays: "Granny Maumee," in 1914; the "Rider of Dreams;" "Simon the Cyrenian", and many others. On February 3, 1914, he married Olivia Howard Dunbar, born at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, daughter of Nathaniel William and Olive (Howard) Dunbar; B.L., Smith College, in 1894; on the staff of the New York World, 1895 to 1902, and a writer for magazines. Living in Greenwich Village, New York. No issue
He published several books of verse, including "The House of a Hundred Lights" in 1900, "El Dorado, a Tragedy," in 1903, and "Abelard and Heloise," a poetic drama in 1907.
During 1938, Torrence was Poet in Residence at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, and in 1941-42 he was a Fellow in Creative Writing at Miami University. In 1942, the National Poetry Center in New York awarded him poet of the year.
Torrence's "Plays for a Negro Theater" was published in 1917, and has been called a group of "the first serious plays written about African-Americans, and the first to be acted by a Negro cast." Later, Torrence wrote "The Story of John Hope," a dramatic biography of the black educator, who was president of Morehouse College of Atlanta University.
Torrence also wrote "Hesperides," "Danse Calinda" and "Poems," the last winning the Shelly Memorial Prize for 1941.
He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Torrence is better known for his close relationships with American poets and writers like Robert Frost, Edwin Markham, William Vaughn Moody, and Edwin Arlington Robinson.
He was survived by his wife, Olivia Howard Dunbar, who he married Feb. 3, 1914, and brother, Findley McDowell Torrence. He was predeceased by his parents, David Torrence and Mary Susan Ridgely, and sister Pauline Mary Torrence.
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Educated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and later at Princeton University, where he was a member of the Triangle Club, and was on the editorial staff of the Tiger and the Nassau Lit. He was librarian of the Astor Library in New York from 1897 to 1901, and served in same capacity in the Lenox Library, 1901 to 1903. In76 editorial work, he served on the Critic from 1903 to 1904, on the Cosmopolitan from 1905 to 1907, and on the New Republic from 1920 to 1933. His success as a lyric poet secured for him a membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He is the author of "The House of a Hundred Lights," 1900; "El Dorado," a tragedy, in 1903; "Abelard and Heloise," in 1907; "Hesperides", in 1925; negro plays: "Granny Maumee," in 1914; the "Rider of Dreams;" "Simon the Cyrenian", and many others. On February 3, 1914, he married Olivia Howard Dunbar, born at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, daughter of Nathaniel William and Olive (Howard) Dunbar; B.L., Smith College, in 1894; on the staff of the New York World, 1895 to 1902, and a writer for magazines. Living in Greenwich Village, New York. No issue
American poet, playwright, and editor. Ridgely (Frederick Ridgely) Torrence attended Miami University, Oxford, Ohio for two years before entering Princeton University as a junior. While at Princeton, he served on the editorial boards of the Nassau Literary Magazine and the Princeton Tiger. Upon graduation, Torrence moved to New York, where for six years he was a librarian in the New York Public Library. He worked as an editor of the Cosmopolitan and as poetry editor of The New Republic from 1920 to 1933.
He published several books of verse, including "The House of a Hundred Lights" in 1900, "El Dorado, a Tragedy," in 1903, and "Abelard and Heloise," a poetic drama in 1907.
During 1938, Torrence was Poet in Residence at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, and in 1941-42 he was a Fellow in Creative Writing at Miami University. In 1942, the National Poetry Center in New York awarded him poet of the year.
Torrence's "Plays for a Negro Theater" was published in 1917, and has been called a group of "the first serious plays written about African-Americans, and the first to be acted by a Negro cast." Later, Torrence wrote "The Story of John Hope," a dramatic biography of the black educator, who was president of Morehouse College of Atlanta University.
Torrence also wrote "Hesperides," "Danse Calinda" and "Poems," the last winning the Shelly Memorial Prize for 1941.
He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Torrence is better known for his close relationships with American poets and writers like Robert Frost, Edwin Markham, William Vaughn Moody, and Edwin Arlington Robinson.
He was survived by his wife, Olivia Howard Dunbar, who he married Feb. 3, 1914, and brother, Findley McDowell Torrence. He was predeceased by his parents, David Torrence and Mary Susan Ridgely, and sister Pauline Mary Torrence.
___________________________________
Educated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and later at Princeton University, where he was a member of the Triangle Club, and was on the editorial staff of the Tiger and the Nassau Lit. He was librarian of the Astor Library in New York from 1897 to 1901, and served in same capacity in the Lenox Library, 1901 to 1903. In76 editorial work, he served on the Critic from 1903 to 1904, on the Cosmopolitan from 1905 to 1907, and on the New Republic from 1920 to 1933. His success as a lyric poet secured for him a membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He is the author of "The House of a Hundred Lights," 1900; "El Dorado," a tragedy, in 1903; "Abelard and Heloise," in 1907; "Hesperides", in 1925; negro plays: "Granny Maumee," in 1914; the "Rider of Dreams;" "Simon the Cyrenian", and many others. On February 3, 1914, he married Olivia Howard Dunbar, born at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, daughter of Nathaniel William and Olive (Howard) Dunbar; B.L., Smith College, in 1894; on the staff of the New York World, 1895 to 1902, and a writer for magazines. Living in Greenwich Village, New York. No issue
He published several books of verse, including "The House of a Hundred Lights" in 1900, "El Dorado, a Tragedy," in 1903, and "Abelard and Heloise," a poetic drama in 1907.
During 1938, Torrence was Poet in Residence at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, and in 1941-42 he was a Fellow in Creative Writing at Miami University. In 1942, the National Poetry Center in New York awarded him poet of the year.
Torrence's "Plays for a Negro Theater" was published in 1917, and has been called a group of "the first serious plays written about African-Americans, and the first to be acted by a Negro cast." Later, Torrence wrote "The Story of John Hope," a dramatic biography of the black educator, who was president of Morehouse College of Atlanta University.
Torrence also wrote "Hesperides," "Danse Calinda" and "Poems," the last winning the Shelly Memorial Prize for 1941.
He was a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
Torrence is better known for his close relationships with American poets and writers like Robert Frost, Edwin Markham, William Vaughn Moody, and Edwin Arlington Robinson.
He was survived by his wife, Olivia Howard Dunbar, who he married Feb. 3, 1914, and brother, Findley McDowell Torrence. He was predeceased by his parents, David Torrence and Mary Susan Ridgely, and sister Pauline Mary Torrence.
___________________________________
Educated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and later at Princeton University, where he was a member of the Triangle Club, and was on the editorial staff of the Tiger and the Nassau Lit. He was librarian of the Astor Library in New York from 1897 to 1901, and served in same capacity in the Lenox Library, 1901 to 1903. In76 editorial work, he served on the Critic from 1903 to 1904, on the Cosmopolitan from 1905 to 1907, and on the New Republic from 1920 to 1933. His success as a lyric poet secured for him a membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He is the author of "The House of a Hundred Lights," 1900; "El Dorado," a tragedy, in 1903; "Abelard and Heloise," in 1907; "Hesperides", in 1925; negro plays: "Granny Maumee," in 1914; the "Rider of Dreams;" "Simon the Cyrenian", and many others. On February 3, 1914, he married Olivia Howard Dunbar, born at West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, daughter of Nathaniel William and Olive (Howard) Dunbar; B.L., Smith College, in 1894; on the staff of the New York World, 1895 to 1902, and a writer for magazines. Living in Greenwich Village, New York. No issue
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