Mary Bayard Devereux Clarke

Mary Bayard Devereux Clarke (May 13, 1827 – March 30, 1886) was a writer, poet, and photographer who resided in North Carolina. Described posthumously by the Raleigh News and Observer as "one of its most gifted daughters", Clarke set out to demonstrate the literary talent of her state while also learning from other cultures and styles of writing. Born and raised in Raleigh, Clarke began her work by compiling an anthology of North Carolina poetry, Wood Notes, before writing her own poetry which appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, and journals in the United States and abroad. Early life and family Clarke was born on May 13, 1827, in Raleigh, North Carolina to Thomas Pollock Devereux and Catherine Anne Johnson Devereux. Clarke came from a prominent, wealthy family. Her third great-grandfather, Thomas Pollock served as governor and acquired large sums of land spanning the entire eastern portion of the state, on which he and his sons built many plantations. Her family's wealth was inherited by her grandmother Frances Pollock, the last remaining kin to Thomas Pollock. Frances married John Devereux in New Bern before moving to Raleigh. Her paternal great-grandfather was Jonathon Edwards, theologian and president of Princeton University. On her mother's side, she was descended from Samuel Johnson, another early American clergyman and educator who was the first president of King's College (today Columbia University). Clarke's mother died when she was nine years old, leaving her to be raised by her father. Being a Yale graduate and lawyer, her father ensured each of his children received an education. Clarke was paired with a governess who followed the course of study offered at Princeton and Yale. She was particularly interested in learning other languages, notably German, French, Spanish, and Italian, and practiced translating their literature into English. Clarke traveled extensively in her early years. Before turning 20, she had lived in the West Indies and Texas. When visiting her uncle, Bishop Leonidas Polk, in Louisiana, Clarke became reacquainted with a childhood friend, Major William John Clarke. He was veteran of the Mexican–American War and made his living on a sugar plantation in Louisiana. The two were married on April 6, 1848, by her uncle. The couple lived in Louisiana for a few more years before returning to North Carolina and settling in Raleigh.