This Week In Alaskan History: Robert William Service was born on January 16, 1874 in Lancashire, England to a bank cashier and heiress. One of four children, Service’s parents sent him to live with his grandfather and three aunts in Scotland at the age of five. From these unlikely beginnings, Service eventually became the “Bard of the Yukon”.
Service Sets Out For The Yukon
Service briefly studied literature at the University of Glasgow. However, restless and inspired by figures the like of Rudyard Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson, Service traveled to western Canada in 1894 and immersed himself in the Yukon wilderness.
Service’s Influence On The Yukon and Alaska
Service lived for many years in the Yukon territory. His experiences while living there influenced many of his publications. His widely acclaimed book of poems Songs of a Sourdough contains two poems considered to be explicitly about Alaska: The Cremation of Sam McGee and The Shooting of Dan McGrew. Service’s influence on the Yukon has been so profound, the two room cabin he lived in from November 1909 until June 1912 is maintained as a historic site for visitors.
Service Returns To Europe
After many years abroad, Service eventually returned to his native continent. During World War I he served as an ambulance driver. After the end of the war, Service married Germaine Bougeoin, a French woman. The couple lived mainly in the south of France until Service’s death on September 11, 1958.
Service: The Poet
Although Service wrote two autobiographies and six novels over the course of his life, he is mainly remembered now as the “people’s poet” – a title given him in an obituary published by the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph.
The Merdes Law Firm has been helping injured Alaskans for more than 30 years. It’s who we are. And while we hope you never need us … We’re here if you do. ~ Ward Merdes
Info Source: PoetryFoundation.org and Poets.org
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons