Bartholomew Dowling facts for kids

Bartholomew Dowling (born 1823, died 1863) was an Irish writer. He lived during the 1800s and wrote many interesting pieces.

About Bartholomew Dowling

Bartholomew Dowling was born in a place called Listowel in County Kerry, Ireland. When he was a child, his family moved to Canada. They lived there for several years, and Bartholomew went to school there. After his father passed away, the family moved back to Ireland and settled in Limerick. Some old books mistakenly say he was born in Limerick, but he was actually born in Listowel.

Bartholomew had to take care of his mother and younger siblings. Because of this, he could not become a full-time writer right away. He worked in business to earn money. While working, he still wrote short stories and poems. Most of these were published without his name on them.

Life in California

In the summer of 1852, Bartholomew traveled to California. He tried working in the gold mines in northern California. He did not enjoy mining, so he decided to try farming instead. He moved to Contra Costa and built his own home. He often had famous visitors there, like John Mitchel, General James Shields, and Terence MacManus.

In November 1855, Dowling wrote a long poem. It was called "Reminiscences of the Mines." This poem was published in a magazine called Pioneer. It described what life was like in the mining camps.

His Writing Style

Bartholomew Dowling sometimes used different names for his writing. He would use the pen-name "Southern." Other times, he would just use the first letter of his last name. His favorite way to sign his work was "Masque." In a book called Ballad Poetry of Ireland by Edward Hayes, two of Dowling's poems were printed without his name. Only one poem in that book showed his real name.

Working for a Newspaper

In March 1858, a publisher named P. J. Thomas asked Dowling to move to San Francisco. Thomas was one of the people who started the San Francisco Monitor newspaper. Dowling left his quiet farm life to work for the newspaper. He became the editor of the San Francisco Monitor.

At this time, Bartholomew was not in good health. However, he kept writing. His writing showed great energy and skill. People believed he could have achieved even more if he had been healthier.

His Final Days

Bartholomew Dowling died on November 20, 1863. He was in an accident where he fell from a buggy and broke his leg. His health was already getting worse before the accident. He passed away at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco.