Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-14
THE ALLAN LOT.


At a time when the Virginia edition OF
Poe's works, with a new biography of the
author, has just appeared, announcement
is made that the Allan lot here has pass
ed into new hands and that handsome
buildings will be erected thereon.
The Allan lot is identified with Edgar
Allan Poe, but not so closely as many
residents Of Richmond imagine. 1t is at
the southeast corner Of Main and Fifth
streets, and is near the crown Of the NIL
The house which formerly stood thereon
was bull. by David Meade Randolph and
Mr. Gallego, the owner Of the Galleso
mills, and subsequently came into the
hands of Mr. John Allan, who. in ISIS.
removed there from his old home near
the corner Of Marshall and Fifth streets
Randolph was United States Marshal
when jefferson became President, and
was promptly put out Of Office being an
Offensive partisan" we suppose. HIS
wife then turned her attention to keep
ing boarding house. and is said to have
invented the refrigerator. Mr.. Allan, hav-
ing been enriched by legacy from VIII
liam Gait. Richmond millionaire. bought
the property from John Cherallie, execu-
tor Of Randolph
Edgar Allan Poe was the son of Mr..
Allan by adoption. When Mrs. Poe, an
actress, died in Richmond. December IL,
ISL, and left two little children without
relatives or friends hereabout, and with
nut any money to support them. the boy
was adopted by Allan, who was a Scotch
merchant long resident here, and the girl
Resale. by Mr.. Mckenzie, whose home
vas on the south side of Main street
near Seventh.
Mr.. Allan and his two wives lie buried
In handsome section of Shockoe Gene
terry here. Mrs. Poe is said to be buried
in old st. Johns churchyard, but II so,
her grave is unmarked. Her husband is
said to have died in Norfolk and been
buried there. AIRS. Poe's death took place
about two weeks before the calamitous
burning Of the Richmond Theatre and the
company that was playing there on that
fateful night, was the same which gave
about q month before.
Edgar Poe and his wife are buried in
Westminster churchyard in Baltimore.
Edgar Poe was not "a member Of Mr.
Allan's family more than six months at
ter Mr.. Allan occupied the Main-street
house; but that he was there on occa-
nons-brief visits. may be, We know: we
- %bo4 NJ z,
and Mr. John Fallen. Both of these
gentleman. long since dead. were resi-
dents OF the neishborhood., and knew Mr.
Allan and Edgar very we'll.
So much for Poe's connection with the
Allan lot on Fifth and Main, Mr.. Allans
house was spacious abode, having am
pie porches and fine rooms for purposes
OF entertainment And there was a grav-
el.ed drive leading to 1t from Fifth street.
In October, 1881. the Yorktown centennial
year. a grand ball was given there. the
guests Of the occasion being the repre-.
sentatiyes of France and Germany, many
OF them nebles Our dear readers may
be sure invitations to that ball did not
go begging. We should say not! About
decade afterwards the Allan house was
ievelied to the ground. being out of re-
pair. and the lot was offered for sale bv
the Masons.' who had acquired 1t with
the view of building their temple there.
but who had changed their mind. Now
It has gone into the hands OF capitalists,
who will erect costly buildings there.
Those gentlemen have also bought the
Second Baptist church building and lot.
and thus they possess 4 frontage On Main
street extending from Fifth to sixth. But
tne church viii not be required to vacate
ZOE several years yet: probably NOT unit.
= =. ready 70 enter into the new church,
s-.Aaa = sneans e. build sson Ito one lot "a |