Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849) Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in Jan 19, 1809. His parents died before he was 3 years old and he was adopted into the home of John Allan who was a merchant in Richmond, Va.During his uneventful childhood he studied for 5 yearsin England. In1826 he enrolled in the University of Virginia but only stayed for a year. Poe was a good student but he made large gambling debts he refused to pay. He did not come back to the university and even broke off his engagement to his Virginia sweetheart Sarah Elmira Royster. Being he had no means of support he enlisted in the army. By this time he had alr