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Edgar is Born
Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on Jan. 19, 1809, the son of professional actors. -
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Edgar's Life
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Elizabeth Poe died of tuberculosis when Edgar was 2 years old
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Edgar was adopted by John and Frances Allan!
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Poe Joins Army!
Edgar Allan had no money, no job skills, and had been shunned by John Allan. Edgar went to Boston and joined the U.S. Army in 1827. -
Allans Money Problem
Allan's allowance was so meager Poe turned to gambling to supplement his income. In eight months he lost $2,000. Allan's refusal to help him led to total estrangement and in March 1827 Poe stormed out on his own. -
Mrs. Allan Dies and John Allan signs Edgar's application to West Point.
In 1829, Mrs. Allan died and John Allan tried to be friendly towards Edgar and signed Edgar's application to West Point. -
Edgar enters West Point as a Cadet!
In 1830, Edgar Allan entered West Point as a cadet. He didn't stay long because John Allan refused to send him any money. It is thought that Edgar purposely broke the rules and ignored his duties so he would be dismissed. -
Poe lives with his aunt Maria Clemm in his time of exile.
During his early years of exile Poe lived in Baltimore for a while with his aunt Maria Clemm and her seven-year-old daughter, Virginia. He returned to his aunt's home in 1831, publishing Poems by Edgar Allan Poe and beginning to place short stories in magazines. -
Edgar has poerty published!
In 1831, Edgar Allan Poe went to New York City where he had some of his poetry published. -
Poe wins prize for "Ms. Found in a Bottle."
In 1833 he received a prize for "MS. Found in a Bottle," -
Excerpt From "Ms. Found in a Bottle"
After many years spent in foreign travel, I sailed in the year 18 -- , from the port of Batavia, in the rich and populous island of Java, on a voyage to the Archipelago of the Sunda islands. I went as passenger -- having no other inducement than a kind of nervous restlessness which haunted me as a fiend. -
Poe Marries Cousin!
In 1836 Poe married his cousin Virginia--now 13 years old--and moved to Richmond with his bride and mother-in-law. -
Poe loses job due to excessive drinking!
Excessive drinking lost him his job in 1837, but he had produced prolifically for the journal. He had contributed his Politian, as well as 83 reviews, six poems, four essays, and three short stories. -
Excerpt from "The Golden Bug"
I held the vellum again to the fire, after increasing the heat, but nothing appeared. I now thought it possible that the coating of dirt might have something to do with the failure: so I carefully rinsed the parchment by pouring warm water over it, and, having done this, I placed it in a tin pan, with the skull downward, and put the pan upon a furnace of lighted charcoal. In a few minutes, the pan having become thoroughly heated, I removed the slip, and, to my inexpressible joy, found it spotted -
Poe wins $100 prize for "The Golden Bug" and faces a kind of psychological adversity!
The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Man That Was Used Up emerged in 1843, and a Philadelphia newspaper offered a $100 prize for his “The Gold Bug", but Poe was now facing a kind of psychological adversity against which he was virtually helpless.
