George Rex Graham

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George Rex Graham Born January 18, 1813 Died 1894

George Rex Graham (1813-1894) was an entrepreneur and journalist from Philadelphia, most notable for the founding of Graham's Magazine.

Born on January 18, 1813, Graham had been an apprentice for a cabinet-maker before deciding to study law. After being admitted to the bar, Graham became interested in publishing at a time when Philadelphia stood neck-and-neck with New York City as leaders of the book and periodical publishing industry in America.^[1]

At the age of 27, Graham combined his fledgling publication, Atkinson's Casket, with Burton's Gentlemen's Magazine in December of 1840. The acquired publication had 3,500 subscribers, bringing his total list to 5,000. In its first year, that number jumped to 25,000. Success was partially owed by Graham's willingess to include brand new engravings and illustrations at a time when most monthly publications were re-using old plates from other magazines. He also paid his freelance writers very well. In fact, in later years, a "Graham page" was the new standard of payment for magazine work.^[2]

Edgar Allan Poe was hired as an editor and writer in February 1841. By all accounts, Poe and Graham got along very well and had a good working relationship. Poe was paid $800 per year while Graham boasted $25,000 in profits. ^[3] Graham's Magazine was the first to publish many of Poe's works, including The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Colloquey of Monos and Una. Poe left the magazine in April 1842.

Graham would hire Rufus Wilmot Griswold, Poe's rival, as his next editor. Griswold was paid a salary of $1000 per year, more than he had paid Poe, lending some additional venom to the animosity between the two men. To his credit, Griswold was able to contract with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write for Graham's exclusively for a time. ^[4]

Allegedly, Poe had offered first publication of "The Raven" to Graham, who refused. He may have given $15 to Poe as a friendly charity, but did not like the poem. Graham made it up to Poe a short while later by publishing the essay "The Philosophy of Composition" in which Poe tells of his inspiration for his famous poem and the technique of writing well. ^[5]

After Poe's death, Graham defended him against critics like Griswold. In March of 1850 he published in his magazine "Defense of Poe" and, four years later in February of 1854, "The Genius and Characteristics of the Late Edgar Allan Poe." ^[6].

Graham and his magazine worked with many other notable authors including William Cullen Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, James Russell Lowell and others ^[7].

[edit] External Link

George Rex Graham on FamousAmericans.net

[edit] References

1. ^ Silverman, Kenneth: Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance, p. 141.
2. ^ Silverman, Kenneth: Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance, p. 162-3.
3. ^ Sova, Dawn B. Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z, p. 99.
4. ^ Silverman, Kenneth: Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance, p. 216.
5. ^ Hoffman, Daniel: Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe, pp. 79-80.
6. ^ Sova, Dawn B. Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z, p. 99.
7. ^ [1] "Cooper's Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief as a Defense of Authorship" by Steven P. Harthorn