Why did Poe's parents leave them with a strange family? Why did't they take them to another family members house? Who were the other two childeren? Did Poe contact them after he left the Allens? How long did the parents stay untill they left the kids?

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Answers

For Poe's parents and early life read a good bio or ww.eapoe.org. His parents were stage actors. The father deserted the family(a bad actor, alcoholic, with stage fright). The mother died in Boston and from there the three children went to the care of the Allans. Poe's older brother was William Henry Leonard Poe, died 1832 and older sister was Rosalie McKenzie Poe. Poe was good friends with his seafaring brother. Collaborated on some works.

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Kimberly,

Actually, Poe's biological parents did not leave the children with a "strange family" but was rather the result of the death of Poe's Mother, Eliza Arnold Hopkins Poe from pneumonia on December 8, 1811 in Richmond, Virginia. Edgar Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond. John was a wealthy Scottish born merchant and slave trader and Frances was a patron of the theater where Eliza Poe acted on stage. Frances knew and admired Eliza's talents and was familiar with young Edgar. It has been said that John Allan initially opposed the "adoption" but relented in favor of his wife's wishes because she was unable to bear children. Factually, Poe was never formally adopted. He was, however, baptized in January of 1812 and christened Edgar Allan Poe.

Poe's older brother, William Henry Leonard Poe was sent to live with their grandparents, David Poe, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth Cairnes Poe while Poe's younger sibling, Rosalie was taken in by the McKenzie family of Richmond, Virginia. Rosalie was baptized in September of 1812 as Rosalie McKenzie Poe.

Edgar stayed in contact with his siblings through the Allan family and upon leaving Richmond for good, Poe sought out William Henry in Baltimore.

As for David Poe, Jr., he seems to have been lost to history. There is some testimony that indicates he may have died in Norfolk, Virginia shortly after his wife died in Richmond.

Regards,

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

in this last answer, they said poe's father dies a few weeks after his mother. in everythign else i've read (i'm in the middle of a research project) it says he ran off months before rosalie was born- and dies a little while after she was born-in october 1810.Which brings up the subject of legitimacy on rosalie.(another subject) my sorces tell me Elizabeth poe died in December 1811. but in poe's 750,000 letter, he says that his mother dies a few weeks before his father. Does anyone have a truthful answer- i can't leave any open questions on this paper...... i need to know which statement is true. email me if you know the answer Sara Jankowiak

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2003