Born to a poor family in Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1809, Edgar Allan Poe had little knowledge of the hardships that lay ahead of him. In fact, before he had even reached the young age of four, both his parents had passed away. He was raised by his godfather, John Allen.

Mr. Allen was a wealthy man who lived in Virginia. He gave Poe an education and an inspiring start.

Before long, however, Mr. Allen and Poe had developed a strong dislike for each other. This led to Poe's departure from his foster family. Many believe Poe's tragic lifestyle began with the loss of his parents and the separation from his godfather. By the age of twenty one, Edgar Allan Poe had published three poetry books and had written a short story. This story won a newspaper contest and a grand prize of fifty dollars. Despite becoming well known, he still barely made enough money to survive.

Desperate and lonely, he moved in with his aunt, Maria Clemm. Shortly after that, he fell in love with and married his cousin. His wife was Ms. Clemm's thirteen year old daughter, Virginia. Illness and poverty outweighed happiness in their lives. Enduring hardships, Poe continued to write, and Virginia continued to have confidence in his writings. He wrote horror stories and poetry, which would later make him one of the most unforgettable authors in America. In 1845 while living in Philadelphia, he wrote and published one of his most memorable works, "The Raven."

Little did he know that the biggest tragedy of his life was yet to come. Two years after he wrote The Raven, his beloved wife Virginia died of an illness. She was twenty-three. This caused Poe extreme suffering and could have lead to his unexplained and mysterious death in Baltimore, Maryland, in October 1849.

Unfortunately, Poe never lived to see the fame he dreamed of and deserved. His house is an historic site and each year thousands of tourists come to see the place where this great poet once lived while composing some of the most extraordinary of his poems and horror stories.

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Spruance Elementary School would like to thank the staff of the Edgar Allen Poe House for their hospitality and support.