Edgar Allan Poe | Timeline

Edgar Allan Poe (né Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States, and of American literature. He was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story, and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre, as well as a significant contributor to the emerging genre of science fiction. He is the first well-known American writer to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career. (Intro from Wikipedia)

January 19, 1809 - Boston, Massachusetts - Edgar Poe is born

December 8, 1811 - Richmond, Virginia - Elizabeth Arnold, Edgar Allan Poe's mother, dies of tuberculosis, aged 24. Her children are split up. Edgar is taken in by John and Frances Allen

January(?) 1(?), 1815 - Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland - Grammar School in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland, birthplace of his adoptive father, John Allan

January(?) 1(?), 1816 - London, England - Rejoins the Allans in London. Enrolled at a boarding school in Chelsea

January(?) 1(?), 1820 - Richmond - Moves back to Richmond with the Allans

January(?) 1(?), 1824 - Richmond - Serves as the lieutenant of the Richmond youth honor guard as the city celebrated the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette

March 1(?), 1825 - Richmond - Allan's uncle and business benefactor William Galt dies, leaving Allan several acres of real estate

February 1(?), 1826 - Richmond - Registered at the University of Virginia to study ancient and modern languages. Secretly engaged to Sarah Emira Royster, his 15-year-old neighbor

March 1(?), 1827 - Richmond - Leaves the University of Virginia

April 1(?), 1827 - Boston, Massachusetts - Moves to Boston and begins working as a clerk for wholesale merchandise warehouse on the waterfront, then as an office clerk and reporter for the "Weekly Report" =(START)

May 27, 1827 - Boston - Enlists in the US Army as a private. Assigned to the 1st Regiment of Artillery at Boston Harbor's Fort Independence

July 1(?), 1827 - Boston - His first collection of poems "Tamerlane and other Poems" is published

November 8, 1827 - Charlston, South Carolina - Poe's regiment is posted to Fort Moultrie in Charlston, South Carolina

April 15, 1829 - Baltimore, Maryland - Discharged from the army. Moves to Baltimore to stay with his widowed aunt Maria Clemm, her daughter Virginia, his brother Henry and his invalid grandmother Elizabeth Cairnes Poe

August 1(?), 1829 - Baltimore - Meets his 7-year-old cousin Virginia Clemm

September 1(?), 1829 - Baltimore - Receives the first words of encouragement in a review of his poetry by influential critic John Neal

December(?) 1(?), 1829 - Baltimore - Publication of his second collection of poems "Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems". He signs as "Edgar A. Poe"

July 1, 1830 - West Point, New York - Poe matriculates as a cadet in West Point

October 1(?), 1830 - New York City - Poe marries his second wife Louisa Patterson

February 8, 1831 - West Point - Poe is tried for gross neglect of duty and disobedience of orders for refusing to attend formations, classes, or church

February 15(?), 1831 - New York City - Poe leaves New York 

March 1(?), 1831 - Baltimore - Poe returns to his family in Baltimore

August 1, 1831 - Baltimore - His brother Henry dies, due to problems related with alcoholism

January(?) 1(?), 1833 - Baltimore - Joins the household of Virginia's mother, where his brother had lived (until he died on August 1, 1831)

October 1(?), 1833 - Baltimore - The "Baltimore Saturday Visiter" awards him a prize for his short story "MS. Found in a Bottle"

July 7, 1835 - Baltimore - Elizabeth Cairnes Poe dies, effectively ending the family's income and making their financial situation even more difficult

August 1(?), 1835 - Richmond, Virginia - Edgar Allan Poe moves to Richmond to become assistant editor at the "Southern Literary Messenger"

August 29, 1835 - Richmond - Letter to Maria Poe, pleading that she allow Virginia to make her own decision about marrying him

September 22, 1835 - Baltimore - Poe returns to Baltimore to file for a marriage license

May 16, 1836 - Richmond - 27-year-old Edgar Allan Poe marries his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm

May 20(?), 1836 - Petersburg, Virginia - Short Honeymoon

August 1(?), 1836 - Richmond - Publication of "The City of Sin" in Richmond's "Southern Literary Messenger"

January 1(?), 1837 - Richmond - Leaves the "Southern Literary Messenger"

July 1(?), 1838 - Richmond - Publication of "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket"

August(?) 1(?), 1839 - Philadelphia - Becomes assistant editor of "Burton's Gentleman's Magazine"

January(?) 1(?), 1840 - Philadelphia - Publication of "Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque"

June 1(?), 1840 - Philadelphia - Poe buys advertising space in the "Saturday Evening Post" for a prospectus announcing his intentions to start a journal called "The Stylus"

August(?) 1(?), 1840 - Philadelphia - Poe leaves "Burton's Gentleman's Magazine" and becomes writer and co-editor of the monthly "Graham's Mazagine"

February 1(?), 1842 - New York City - Poe gives a lecture in which he criticizes American poetry

April 1(?), 1844 - New York City - The Family moves to New York. Poe becomes editor of the "Broadway journal" (later its owner), after working briefly at the "Evening Mirror"

April 13, 1844 - New York City - Publication of "The Balloon-hoax" in the "Sun"

January 29, 1845 - New York City - The "New York Evening Post" publishes Poe's poem

"The Raven"

March 1(?), 1845 - New York City - Meets poet Frances Sargent Osgood

April 1(?), 1845 - New York City - Publication of "The City in the Sea" in the "American Review"

August 30, 1845 - New York City - Publication of "The City in the Sea" in the "Broadway journal"

January 1(?), 1846 - New York City - Visited by writer and poet Elizabeth Fries Ellet

May 1(?), 1846 - Fordham, Bronx, New York - "Broadway Journal" fails and Poe moves to cottage in Fordham, Bronx, New York

June 12, 1846 - Fordham - Letter to Virginia: "Keep up your heart in all hopelessness, and trust yet a little longer"

January 29, 1847 - Fordham - Letter to Marie Louise Shew: "My poor Virginia still lives, although failing fast and now suffering much pain."

Poe's cottage in Fordham

January 30, 1847 - Fordham - Virginia Clemm dies of Tuberculosis

February 2, 1847 - Fordham - Virginia Clemm Poe's funeral

July 1(?), 1848 - Fordham - Poe meets Sarah Elmira Royster again, a widow since 1844

May 1(?), 1849 - Fordham - Edgar Allan Poe writes "Annabel Lee", that would be published two days after his death

September 17, 1849 - Baltimore - Visits Baltimore to stay with Sarah Royster

October 3, 1849 - Baltimore - Edgar Allan Poe is found delirious on the streets of Baltimore. He is taken to the Washington Medical College

October 7, 1849 - Baltimore - Edgar Allan Poe dies at the Washington Medical College, aged 40 =(END)