John Peebles McClure (December 19, 1893 – February 8, 1956) was an American poet and one of the founding editors of ''

The Double Dealer ''The Double Dealer'' is a comic play written by English playwright William Congreve, first produced in 1693. Henry Purcell set it to music. Characters and plot This comedy sees character Mellefont, nephew and prospective heir of Lord Touch ...

'' literary magazine.

Early life

John Peebles McClure was born in Ardmore,

Chickasaw Nation The Chickasaw Nation (Chickasaw: Chikashsha I̠yaakni) is a federally recognized Native American tribe, with its headquarters located in Ada, Oklahoma in the United States. They are an Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands, original ...

, Indian Territory (located in Oklahoma) to John Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Peebles McClure. His mother died in 1896 and the family moved several times, finally settling in Chickasha around 1901. John attended both public and private schools before entering the University of Oklahoma in 1911. After getting his B.A. in 1915, he worked at the university library. During World War I he served in the U.S. Army cavalry and in the field artillery. After the war, he married librarian Grace Binford Smith (1918). In 1919, the McClures moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they opened a bookstore. McClure also worked as a copy editor for the New Orleans ''

Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate'' is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. The current publication is the result of the 2019 acquisition of ''The Times-Picayune'' (itself a result of th ...

''. He was to maintain a professional relationship with the ''Times-Picayune'' for 33 years, rising to managing editor.Hanneman, Carolyn G. "McClure, John Peebles"
Oklahoma Hisotorical Society's Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History

Literary career

McClure published his first poem in the London magazine ''

The Egoist ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' in 1914. His early style was influenced by

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...

, by English and Scottish ballads, and by Elizabeth lyric poetry. As his reputation grew, he published in a wide range of American literary magazines, including ''

The American Mercury ''The American Mercury'' was an American magazine published from 1924Staff (Dec. 31, 1923)"Bichloride of Mercury."''Time''. to 1981. It was founded as the brainchild of H. L. Mencken and drama critic George Jean Nathan. The magazine featured wri ...

'' and ''

Smart Set ''The Smart Set'' was an American literary magazine, founded by Colonel William d'Alton Mann and published from March 1900 to June 1930. Its headquarters was in New York City. During its Jazz Age heyday under the editorship of H. L. Mencken an ...

''.

H. L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...

, co-editor of ''Smart Set'', considered McClure the "finest lyric poet" the nation had produced in fifty years. McClure's books includes ''Airs and Ballads'' (a collection of his own poems, 1918) and ''The Stag's Hornbook'' (a collection of drinking songs, 1918). McClure was one of the four founding editors of ''

'', a New Orleans-based literary magazine that was an early champion of William Faulkner and that published many other notable American modernist writers. McClure was widely admired for the book reviews he published in the ''Times-Picayune'' and the '' Double Dealer''. McClure acted as a

mentor Mentorship is the influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the personal and p ...

to young James Feibleman: when Feibleman noted that "artists are not appreciated in America" so he might move to France, McClure suggested, "Maybe it is because prospective young writers like yourself don't remain here and help...If the artists don't hang around, how can they hope to be appreciated." McClure died in New Orleans on February 8, 1956."John P. M'Clure Taken by Death." ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'', February 9, 1956. He was survived by his second wife, Joyce Kavanaugh Stagg, whom he had married in 1937.

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External links

* 1893 births 1956 deaths American male poets 20th-century American poets 20th-century American male writers People from Ardmore, Oklahoma Poets from Oklahoma {{US-poet-1890s-stub