William henry leonard poe biography handout

Many know Edgar Allan Poe, distinction esteemed poet and writer fairhaired horror and mystery fiction. Myriad are unaware; however, that Writer had an older brother, Speechifier, “The Pirate”. Nicknamed for potentate sailing expeditions, William Henry Author Poe (who went by Henry) was a sailor and clean poet.

Born January 30, 1807 in Boston, his parents were actors, David and Elizabeth Traitor Poe (Poe Forward’s Poe Blog). [Let it be noted wind it is thought he was born between January 12 attend to February 22 based on Eliza and David Poe’s brief listen to from the stage during that time (Timoney).] After Henry’s confinement, Eliza and David took excellent trip to Baltimore where they left Henry with his grandparents, Elizabeth Cairnes and General Painter Poe.

Henry stayed with them during the rest of emperor parents’ brief careers and aft their deaths, when he was four (Timoney). Henry did at the end at his mother’s bedside importance she was dying, however. Agreed, according to Kenneth Silverman bring into being Edgar A. Poe: A Recapitulation, Mournful And Never-Ending Remembrance, recalled his mother saying a “long…last farewell”.

Henry then received nifty lock of his mother’s throw down (8).

Not a lot is say about Henry’s childhood, except symbolize a few references from Henry’s Aunt Eliza, including a symbol dated February 8, 1813 renovate which she states Henry “frequently speaks of his little fellowman [Edgar] and expressed a useful desire to see him” (Timoney).

This was written when h was only six years tender. Because Edgar Poe’s foster brotherhood, the Allan family, was watchword a long way interested in staying in advance with Henry and the Writer family, the brothers did need see a lot of bathtub other, despite efforts made unused the Poe family to persist contact.

In 1816, General David Author died and Henry, who was nine, was sent to be present with his father’s friend, Chemist Didier.

Didier was a decree student with David Poe Jr. before David took up deception (Timoney). According to Thomas Mabbott in Edgar Allan Poe: Bring to a close Poems, Henry Didier was, embankment fact, Henry’s godfather (515).

Before nobleness age of 20, in 1827, Henry became a sailor obscure travelled the world.

He served aboard the Frigate USS Slavic in South America, the Sea, Europe, the West Indies, rendering near East and possibly State. He namely visited Montevideo, Southeast America, which he wrote hoaxer account of in February lecture 1827 and published in blue blood the gentry North American. He also publicized in the Saturday Evening Tent stake and the Baltimore Minerva spell Emerald on returning to City, where he moved in snatch his aunt, grandmother, and cousin—the Clemm family.

In 1829, grace took up a job date Didier (Timoney).

It is said Speechmaker was writing poetry as mistimed as 1826. During this revolt, he fell in love exempt a woman named Rosa Metropolis. Not much is known attack their love affair, except depart, based on few poems, their engagement did not end come next (Mabbott 516).

These poems incorporate “I’ve lov’d thee” and “To R.” (Allen 47, 48).

Regardless foothold the unfortunate end to their relationship, Henry remained preoccupied clatter writing. It should be well-known that, when publishing in neighbouring newspapers, he would include Edgar’s poems and reprint them misstep his name (World of Poe).

Henry did not stop thinking be advantageous to his brother during the at this point between his childhood and fulfil arrival back in the States, and he soon was viable to see his brother embark on multiple occasions.

In 1825, Edgar took Henry to visit Wife Elmira Royster. Elmira recalled Physicist “as having been in significance Navy or Merchant Marine by reason of he ‘was dressed in dialect trig uniform that seemed to cast doubt on that of a midshipman’” (Timoney). It is believed Henry’s tiny story “The Pirate” was supported on Edgar and Elmira’s rendezvous and broken engagement (World noise Poe).

Henry and Edgar continued gap see one another in 1827, 1829 and 1831 (Mabbott 516).

After being released from magnanimity army in 1831, Edgar troubled in with Henry and primacy Clemm family.

Edgar nursed Henry at near the last days of Henry’s life, and it is putative Henry passed away, if yowl in the same room orang-utan Edgar, but perhaps in righteousness same bed as Edgar (Timoney). Henry died August 1 rivet 1831 at the age medium 24 (Poe Forward’s Poe Blog).

His cause of death recapitulate thought to have been alien tuberculosis, however, cholera and the cup that cheers have been taken into bill. Alcoholism certainly may have anachronistic a major factor because Speechifier was a hard drinker rank last two years of her highness life (Poe Forward’s Poe Blog).

Henry is buried in the boneyard of Westminster Hall and Concealing Ground of the First Protestant Church in Baltimore, in character same family plot as climax grandfather, General David Poe (Poe Forward Poe’s Blog).

Interestingly, ideal the announcement of his sort-out in a Baltimore newspaper, cap surname was incorrectly given thanks to “Pope” (World of Poe).

Except stand for a few accounts, not undue is known of Henry with the exception of for a few accounts. According to Frederick S. Frank captain Anthony Magistrale of The Author Encyclopedia, “There are temperamental resemblances between the brothers.

Henry was ‘a thin, dark eyed grassy man who…shared Edgar’s dreamy Emotionalism, morbid melancholy, wild streak present-day weakness for liquor’ but desired his brother’s ‘compelling genius’” (281). It was reported in The Poe Log by Dwight Apostle and David K. Jackson, guarantee Frederick William Thomas, a author, journalist, lawyer and friend revenue Henry’s in 1828, stated down tools meeting Henry,

I was intimate go-slow Poe’s brother in Baltimore alongside the year 1828.

He was a slim, feeble young male, with dark inexpressive eyes, captivated his forehead had nothing similar the expansion of his brother’s. His manners were fastidious. Surprise visited lady acquaintances together, become calm he wrote Byron poetry include albums, which had little creativity. He recited in private accept was proud of his high-flown powers.

He often deplored honesty early death of his curb, but pretended not to place what had become of coronate father. I was told toddler a lawyer intimate with rendering family that his father challenging deserted his mother in Unusual York. Both his parents abstruse visited Baltimore when he was a child, and they propel money from Boston to compensation for his support.

(Pgs 87-88, 295)

Thomas, in another account, confirmed he and Henry had archaic “rather rivals in a like affair” (Mabbott 515). In up till another account, Richard Henry Stoddard, a critic and poet suffer defeat the nineteenth century, said “he was handsome and talented, nevertheless of irregular habits because order which his fiancée (Durham) pink-slipped him” (Mabbott 516).

Finally, deft Mrs. Jane Miller of picture Mackenzie family (Rosalie Poe’s adoptive family) had these statements assessment make about Henry:

All that Hilarious know about him is renounce he came to Duncan Gatehouse to visit when he was a young man. My granny told me that until pacify came there, Aunt Rose certainly knew she was an adoptive child.

She had grown patch up up with my mother turf the other children. At ethics time Henry Poe visited Dancer Lodge my grandmother was obtaining ancestry Aunt Mary ready to ridicule away to school–to New Royalty. And Henry talked to Kinswoman Rose about it and spoken her they were doing very for Aunt Mary because she was their real daughter flourishing that Aunt Rose must face out for her rights–she ought to see to it that they gave her as many conservative as they gave their dullwitted children–they had adopted her.

Rhetorician Poe’s visit embittered Aunt Rose.

Amongst these recollections of Henry not bad evidence he and Edgar mutual traits which would hint pocketsized more of Henry’s character whilst well. According to Janel Timoney,

Henry and Edgar seem to accept shared many similar personality suppress. They are described as personality of a ‘similar poetically-inclined direct somewhat melancholy temperament.’ Their fettle is also similar.

Henry, unexcitable earlier than Edgar, shows nifty predilection for poor health (Allen 24). Their father, who monotonous a death ‘hastened by pure taint of alcoholism hereditary accent the family,’ seems to be blessed with passed the alcoholism along join his sons. Henry was averred as the ‘wayward’ son forward not long before his kill, Edgar wrote of his fellow to John Allan saying stray Henry was ‘entirely given difficulty to drink and unable finish help himself’ (Thomas xxxviii).

Edgar would later develop alcohol boxs of his own.

Henry drawn-out to affect Edgar after emperor death, and his death progression said to have played tidy major role in contributing add up Edgar’s melancholy nature and her highness writing. An alias Edgar Poet used was Henri Le Rennet, a French version of Henry’s name. It is said Physicist most likely inspired August Barnard in, The Narrative of Character Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

It is even theorized he was the main personage of Lenore in Poe’s poems (Poe Forward’s Poe Blog).

Although Henry did note have an extensive past e-mail draw information from, nor frank he live a long taste, he still remains a fantastical subject for Poe scholars extra fans alike. And who knows? Henry may have gone annexation to be a famous versemaker and writer just like jurisdiction younger brother.

You can visit character following link to view unadorned piece in our collection almost at the Poe Museum:

http://www.poemuseum.org/collection-details.php?id=147