Bill Text: NY J00238 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Celebrating the Bicentennial of the birth of Herman Melville, American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-01-23 - ADOPTED [J00238 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J00238-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 238

BY: Senator BRESLIN

        CELEBRATING  the  Bicentennial  of  the  birth  of
        Herman  Melville,  American  novelist,  short  story
        writer,  and poet of the American Renaissance period
        who was a long-time  resident  of  New  York  State,
        including Lansingburgh, Albany and New York City

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
those artistic individuals whose  creative  talents  and  commitment  to
writing  contribute  to the enrichment of their community and the world,
and to pay homage to a man whose  life  of  writing  stands  out  as  an
inspiration to others; and

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to celebrate the
Bicentennial of the birth of Herman Melville, American  novelist,  short
story  writer,  and  poet  of  the  American  Renaissance  period;  this
momentous occasion will be celebrated with a Birthday  Party  hosted  by
the  Lansingburgh  Historical Society on Saturday, August 3, 2019, where
they will feature a one man play, Sailing Toward  My  Father,  featuring
Stephen Collins chronicling Herman Melville's life from youth to old age
at the Gardner Earl Chapel in Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, New York; and

  WHEREAS,  Herman  Melville  was born to Allan and Maria (Gansevoort)
Melville on August 1, 1819, in Manhattan, New York; in 1830, the  family
moved  to Albany, New York, where they lived first at Market Street (now
Broadway) and Steuben Street and later at 3 Clinton  Square;  after  the
death  of  Allan  in 1832, Maria and her children struggled financially;
when his mother could afford the tuition,  Herman  attended  the  Albany
Academy; and

  WHEREAS, In the Spring of 1838, Herman Melville and his family moved
to  a  house  on the corner of River Street (now First Avenue) and North
Street (now 114th Street) in Lansingburgh, New York; one year later,  he
graduated  from  the Lansingburgh Academy with a degree in surveying and
engineering; and

  WHEREAS, For a short period, Herman Melville taught school  in  both
Brunswick  and  East  Greenbush,  New  York, and visited the Young Men's
Association Library in Troy; in 1839, he  traveled  to  England  on  his
first  sea  voyage  and  the  local  newspaper,  the  Democratic  Press,
published his first short stories entitled  "Fragments  from  a  Writing
Desk" Nos. 1 and 2 and "The Death Craft"; and

  WHEREAS,  From  1841-1844,  Herman  Melville  sailed  on  the whaler
Acushnet, out of  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts;  during  his  incredible
adventure,  he worked hard, but was also able to explore several islands
in the South Pacific; and

  WHEREAS, Back in Lansingburgh, in  1846,  his  first  novel,  Typee,
recalled  his Polynesian escapades and his subsequent work, Omoo, issued
in 1847, which covered additional adventures  as  a  sea  rover;  Herman
Melville continued to write from his studio along the Hudson River where
he began composing the allegorical novel, Mardi; and

  WHEREAS,   Herman  Melville  married  Elizabeth  Shaw,  daughter  of
prominent Massachusetts jurist, Lemuel Shaw, in  1847,  and  the  entire
extended  family settled in a brownstone house at 103 Fourth Street (now
Fourth  Avenue)  in  Manhattan;  in  1849,  he  released   the   largely
autobiographical  novel,  Redburn,  based on his initial voyage 10 years
earlier; and

  WHEREAS,  In  1850,  Herman  Melville  and  his  wife  relocated  to
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, acquiring an old farm on Holmes Road known as
Arrowhead; it was here, that he completed Moby Dick (or The Whale) which
was  published  in  1851;  he  also  wrote  Pierre, White Jacket, Israel
Potter, and The Confidence Man, and some remarkable short stories,  most
notably  "Bartleby,  The  Scrivener"  and  "Benito Cereno" both of which
appeared in his book, The Piazza Tales; and

  WHEREAS, In 1863, Herman Melville returned to Manhattan,  purchasing
his  brother's  house  at  60  (later  104) East 26th Street; this house
served as his residence until his death on September 28, 1891,  and  was
subsequently sold by his wife soon thereafter; even though the house was
demolished  in 1912, the block is commemorated by a sign reading "Herman
Melville Square"; and

  WHEREAS, During  his  final  years  in  Manhattan,  Herman  Melville
published  four  books  of  poetry, Battle Pieces (1866), Clarel (1876),
John Marr and  Other  Sailors  (1888),  and  Timoleon  (1891);  he  also
composed Billy Budd, which was not published until 1924; and

  WHEREAS,  Three  additional  upstate New York communities, while not
Herman Melville's official residences, played significant roles  in  his
life;  while a Lansingburgh resident, he visited his Van Schaick cousins
across the river in Cohoes, New York, and spent time on  Peebles  Island
in  Waterford,  New  York;  he  also  made many trips to the home of his
mother and sisters in the Town of Northumberland in Saratoga County; and

  WHEREAS, It is important to recall and  honor  individuals  such  as
Herman  Melville,  longtime  New  York  State  resident, whose legendary
talent has entertained readers for almost 200 years,  recognizing  their
valued  contributions  and  publicly acknowledging their endeavors which
have enhanced the basic humanity among us all; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
celebrate  the  Bicentennial  of  the birth of Herman Melville, American
novelist, short story writer,  and  poet  of  the  American  Renaissance
period; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Lansingburgh Historical Society.