John Peale Bishop (1892 –1944) - American poet and WW1 soldier

John Peale Bishop was born in Charles Town, West Virginia, USA on 21st May 1892.  His family were from New England. John was educated in Hagerstown, Maryland and Mercersburg Academy. When he was 18, John became seriously illl and temporarily lost his eyesight. He entered Princeton University in 1913, at the age of 21, where he became friends with Edmund Wilson and F. Scott Fitzgerald and was the editor of the Nassau Literary Magazine. 

After graduating from Princeton in 1917 John served with the American Army’s 33rd Infantry Regiment for two years in Europe. 

Following the war, John returned to the United States and wrote poetry as well as essays and reviews for “Vanity Fair” magazinein New York City. In 1922 he married Margaret Hutchins, and they moved to France, where they lived until 1933, interrupted by a stint for Paramount Pictures in New York (1925–26). While in France they bought the Château de Tressancourt at Orgeval, Seine et Oise, near Paris, where they raised three sons.

In 1931 John waw awarded the $5,000 prize in “Scribner's” Magazine's long short story contest with "Many Thousands Gone," one of his best known works.

John and his family returned to the United States in 1933 , residing first in Connecticut, then New Orleans, and finally in a house on Cape Cod.  

John then became chief poetry reviewer for “The Nation” Magazine (1940). In 1941-1942 he served as Publications Director in the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, and was then invited to be resident fellow at the Library of Congress. He died within a few months of his appointment, on 4th April 1944, in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Poetry Collection by John Peale Bishop : “Green Fruit, poetry” published in 1917

Sources: “Poetry of the First World War” edited by Marcus Clapham Pp 32, 33 and 363;  

Find my Past, Wikipedia and image from 

https://sites.williams.edu/searchablesealit/b/bishop-john-peale/

Photo of John Peale Bishop from https://pennyspoetry.fandom.com/wiki/John_Peale_Bishop

Wikipedia Entry for John Peale Bishop's WW1 Drafing Card:

World War I Draft Registration Cards

Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States

John Peale

Residence Jefferson County

Last name Bishop

State West Virginia

Sex Male

Country United States

Birth year 1892

NARA series M1509

Birth date 21 May 1892

Record set World War I Draft Registration Cards

Place of birth as transcribed Charles Town,West Virginia

Category Military, armed forces & conflict

Birth country United States

Subcategory First World War

Registration year 1917-1918

Collections from Americas, United States

Citizenship country United States