Mary Scrimzeour Whitaker

After completing her education in Europe, she almost immediately began writing for magazines and Northern periodicals, contributing thousands of articles to the press.

One of her most widely copied poems was a classic called the "Sacrifice of Iphegenie"; another, "Farewell to Scotland", thought written when she was but eighteen years of age, is a good example of her poetic productions.

[6] Her father having removed from Beaufort to Sumter District, she passed the early part of her life at the High Hills of Santee.

She gave early indications of possessing a poetic temperament, and pieces composed by her at the age of ten and twelve years were prophetic of her abilities.

Pope's translation of the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer were the constant companions of her childhood; and she read them so often, and was so struck with their numerous beauties, that, even as an adult, she retained whole scenes in her memory.

There, Whitaker hoped to meet and marry an English gentleman, and with that goal in mind, she planned, shopped, and packed her trunks with new clothes.

[5] Campbell was so pleased with Whitaker's poetry that he encouraged her not to neglect her gift, and complimented her highly, calling her "his spiritual daughter".

[1] After receiving the appointment of Attorney General of the British West Indies, his commission having been signed by Queen Victoria, who had just ascended the English throne,[5] they embarked for Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, by way of Barbados.

[7] Many of her best pieces, written since Poems was published, (several of them elicited by the scenes of the war and the gallantry of the generals upon the battlefield), were scattered in the newspapers and periodicals of the day.

The critical articles on the poets from the days of John Dryden to those of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, which appeared editorially in the Sunday issue of The Times newspaper in New Orleans during the year 1866, and which were greatly admired for their acumen and terseness, were written by Whitaker.

Her vivid descriptions of the scenery of the West Indies, and of the epidemics which annually kill so many of its inhabitants, contained in Albert Hastings, were suggested by her visit to that region.