The publication of the 1919 novel Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice triggered a high-profile obscenity trial that spanned two years. Defended against the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, the narrative of a journey through heaven and hell ultimately prevailed in court, cementing a reputation for ironic satire that defined the author's mid-career success.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1879 in Richmond, Virginia, James Branch Cabell belonged to an affluent family with a long-standing presence in the region. His paternal great-grandfather, William H. Cabell, served as Governor of the Commonwealth from 1805 to 1808. Cabell enrolled at the College of William and Mary in 1894 at age fifteen. His tenure there included a brief dismissal following a scandal involving a faculty member, though he eventually graduated in 1898. During his student years, he gained experience teaching Greek and French.
Literary Career and Style
Cabell maintained a prolific output throughout his life, publishing fifty-two books including novels, genealogies, and essays. His literary style diverged from the realism popular in his era, favoring ironic, escapist fantasies that resonated with 1920s audiences. Contemporaries such as H. L. Mencken, Sinclair Lewis, and Edmund Wilson held his work in high regard. Critics have often noted his philosophical stance that truth was the primary obstacle to artistic creation, a viewpoint that sometimes isolated him from the political realities of the 1930s and World War II.
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Before achieving literary prominence, Cabell worked as a newspaper reporter in New York City and for the Richmond News. His personal life was marked by historical connections and significant events, including a 1901 period where he was suspected of involvement in the murder of John Scott. He maintained a long-term interest in genealogy and briefly worked in the coal industry. In 1913, he married Priscilla Bradley Shepherd, with whom he had one son, Ballard Hartwell Cabell. Following Priscilla's death in 1949, he married Margaret Waller Freeman in 1950.
Legacy and Repositories
Cabell died in 1958 in Richmond from a cerebral hemorrhage and was originally buried at Emmanuel Church at Brook Hill before being reinterred in Hollywood Cemetery. His professional legacy is preserved largely through the James Branch Cabell Library at Virginia Commonwealth University, which serves as a major repository for his manuscripts, personal correspondence, and library of approximately 3,000 volumes. The university also maintains the literary journal Poictesme, named for the fictional province featured in his cycle, Biography of the Life of Manuel.
Fast facts
- Born: 1879, Richmond, Virginia
- Died: 1958, Richmond, Virginia
- Education: College of William & Mary
- Membership: American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Total books published: 52
- Pronunciation: CAB-ble
- Burial site: Hollywood Cemetery
Questions readers ask
How did James Branch Cabell pronounce his surname?
He pronounced it as CAB-ble.
Why was the novel Jurgen prosecuted?
The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice alleged the book contained obscene material, though the case was won by the author and his publisher.
Where are his papers kept?
Significant collections are held at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia.
