Robert Bolling

Poet Information

Robert Bolling

About the Poet

Robert Bolling (1738–1775) was a poet, a member of the House of Burgesses (1761–1765), the sheriff of Buckingham County, and a member of the county court (1761–1775). Trained as a lawyer, Bolling is best known as a poet, however. He published more poetry than any other colonial American between 1759 and 1775, including the grotesque “Neanthe” (ca. 1763), which reflected elements of Italian traditions, colonial Virginia folklore, and English poetry. In addition, during the failed courtship of his distant cousin, Bolling kept a journal, “A Circumstantial Account,” which provides a unique view of eighteenth-century Virginia gentry.

Bolling died suddenly in 1775 while attending the Virginia Convention of July–August 1775.

From Encyclopedia Virginia

Region

Southside

Virginia City or County Affiliation

Buckingham County, Virginia

Years of Residence in Virginia

37

Gender

Male

Race/Ethnicity

White

Year of Birth

1738–1775

Published Works or Performances

Neanthe, (ca. 1763).

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Robert Bolling