Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-06
Edgar A. Poe and His Sis+ar

On page Of this issue We print some
"reminiscences Of Edgar A. Poe, by the
late Joseph III. Clarke, of Baltimore, at
whose school in this city, where he once
resided, x appears that Poe was a pupil
when about u years Of age. How long
Poe continued to attend the school OF
Mr.. Clarke We are not informed, but we
know that Mr.. Clarke's was not the only
or the chief school which Poe attended in
Richmond. Dr.. Greed Thomas, of this
city was schoolmate OF Poe's at Burke's
school here. and we believe that they
were together there several years. DR..
Thomas usually speaks of Burke as Poe's
schoolmaster.
Mr.. Burke was fine classical scholar.
Few better ones ever lived here. He was
OF the opinion that critics generally had
not done justice to Lucan's PharsaIia,
and he translated 1t into English, but.
so far as we know. his work was never
published.-Mr. Burke's school-house was
situated near where Ford's Hotel now is,
and some OF Eichmonds brightest youths
were by him prepared for the university.
But though a successful teacher. Mr..
Burke did not prosper financially, and
he abandoned the profession Of teaching
to become a doctor OF medicine.
MIR. Clarke speaks OF Edgar Poe's sis
ter by the name Of Mary. Our own i'm
preston is that her name was Rosa.
When Edgar was adopted by Mr.. John
Allan she was adopted by Mr. Mckenzie.
who at one time lived on the square near
where the residence Of the late James
Alfred Jones stands, and at another time
Gf we mistake noD In the house which
of recent years has been known as the
Pinel Hospital.
Miss Poe seems not TO have had the
brightness Of mind for which her brother
Edgar was distinguished. She never mar
ried, so far as we are informed. She
was living in this city in 1868. and, we
think, left here TO go to Danville to re-
side with friends there. She knew very
little about her brother; as a matter OF
fact, they were seldom thrown together.
The late John r. Thompson was one or
her friends, and after the war he inter-
ested himself in writing out some Of her
recollections Of her brother and supple
mented them with his own "reminiscences.
These were sold for her sole benefit. One
Of these productions was lampoon,
which Poe, as a boy. had levelled at a
Counter hopper in this city, and which
Mr.. Thompson rewrote from memory
his own, not Miss Poe's memory--and
sold for Miss Poe's benefit to Henry
| Rives Pollard, who WAS then publishing
the Southern Opinion in the old building
lately demolished to make room fof new
| houses at the northeast corner of Main
and Seventh streets.
Very few OF Poes biographers mention
| Poe's sister 1t is not likely that he often
spoke OF her to his acquaintance. In
| deed. they were separated early In life.
and Poe was not the man to lavish
much attention or affection upon friends
or kindred.
Mr.. Il. Il. Minor, who was at one time
| the editor Of the Southern Literary Maya
zine. also contributes some "reminiscences
| Of Poe to this issue OF the Dispatch
| The article is particularly valuable, as
| showing that il is not true, as some
| writers have stated that Poe never alter
| ed line he wrote. "The Raven was
| first published in the American Wing
! Review, and at the poets request 1t Gas
reproduced here In the Literary Messen-
| ger. Mr.. Poe meanwhile having made
| several changes In the language of the
poem. all for the better. Mr.. Minor thinks.