Charles DeKay
American linguist, poet, critic, and fencer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Augustus de Kay (July 25, 1848 – May 23, 1935) was a linguist, poet, critic, and fencer. He was a son of George Coleman De Kay, a naval officer.[2]
Charles Augustus de Kay | |
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| Born | July 25, 1848[1] Washington, D.C., US |
| Died | May 23, 1935 (aged 86)[1] New York City, US[1] |
| Alma mater | Yale[1] |
| Employer | The New York Times |
| Spouse | Edwardlyn Coffey[1] |
| Children | 8 |
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He graduated from Yale College in 1868.[3]
He was best known for founding the National Sculpture Society, the Authors' Club, the National Arts Club and the Fencers Club.[1][3] He was inducted into the United States Fencing Hall of Fame in 2008. He was an art and literary critic for The New York Times for 18 years. He was a co-founder of the Circle of Friends of the Medallion.[4]
He also wrote under the pseudonyms "Henry Eckford"[4] and "Louis Barnaval".[5]
In June 1894, he was nominated by Grover Cleveland to be Consul General at Berlin[3] and took over the post shortly thereafter.[6] In keeping with his lifelong love of fencing, he had the honor of opening the fencing club in Berlin while serving as Consul General.[7]
He was buried in Saint George's Church Cemetery, Hempstead, New York.
Writing
- The Bohemian (New York, 1878)[8]
- Hesperus (1880)
- Vision of Nimrod (1881)
- Vision of Esther (1882)
- Love Poems of Louis Barnaval (1883).
- Bird Gods, with an accompaniment of decorations by George Wharton Edwards. New York : A.S. Barnes (1898).[9]
- Life and Works of Barye[10]
- Life and Works of Louis Comfort Tiffany[10]
According to Appletons' Cyclopædia (1900), his best-known story is "Manmatha".[2]
