Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston to Elizabeth and David Arnold Poe. Both his father and his mother were employed as actors. Two years later on December 8, 1811, Elizabeth, now a single mother after a quarrel with David, died in Richmond. David died within two weeks of her unfortunate death leaving Edgar and his two siblings, Rosalie and Henry, orphans. Rosalie was taken in by a Richmond family while Henry was sent to live with his grandparents. Edgar was taken into the Richmond family of John Allan who was a member of the tobacco merchant firm Ellis and Allan. Although never legally adopted, Edgar called John Allan and his wife "pa" and "ma" and was raised as their son. He later adopted his middle name from his Richmond family. Edgar Allan Poe spent the majority of his childhood in the care of the Allans in Richmond.
Poe lived in this Richmond house from 1825 until 1826 when he enrolled in the University of Virginia
Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston to Elizabeth and David Arnold Poe. Both his father and his mother were employed as actors. Two years later on December 8, 1811, Elizabeth, now a single mother after a quarrel with David, died in Richmond. David died within two weeks of her unfortunate death leaving Edgar and his two siblings, Rosalie and Henry, orphans. Rosalie was taken in by a Richmond family while Henry was sent to live with his grandparents. Edgar was taken into the Richmond family of John Allan who was a member of the tobacco merchant firm Ellis and Allan. Although never legally adopted, Edgar called John Allan and his wife "pa" and "ma" and was raised as their son. He later adopted his middle name from his Richmond family. Edgar Allan Poe spent the majority of his childhood in the care of the Allans in Richmond.