The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-07
Voice 4 of
the People
Memorial to Poe Proposed.

Editor OF The Dispatch:
Sir,-Those who are watching the trend
of Richmond's remarkably rapid develop
especially prominent. The city Is becom,
ing more and more q great edu Ns =,
center The present institutions 1,,a OF Rlene
ab na and the BaptIsts Of the com
munity have no idea of letting the pro-
posed Central Nvoman's College slip
through their fingers IT. liberailty and
avail anything. 1t has been suggested
that Hampden- Sidney College be brought
to this city. This will also certainly be
done when the time is ripe for y. In ad-
and women of Richmond are every day
originating and pushing educational ac-
tivities.
Another striking advance of the city Is
Aside from the famous statues of Wash
ington, Clay, Lee. Jackson, and the ma
jestlc shaft to the sailors and soldiers of
the war between the. States; aside from
and of the gallant Howitzer. Richmond
Will have In Monument Avenue,a thor
uughfare. graced by such memorials as
those to jefferson Davis, Robert e. Lee
beauty and historic interest of which can
be found nowhere IN America.
A splendid opportunity is offered Rich
mond as a people atd as municipality
two great movements, educational ana
beneficent. by the erection IN this city
OF II suitable memorial to Edgar Allan
Poe. Because Of Poes love for Rich
to Richmond to build this memorial, and
Richmond has not done II Boston, Poc's
birthplace, could not do It. Poe detested
lived there but q few years, elsing out a
bare existence ut Fordhan. Philadelphia
has little claim on him. lie Went there
because od he had to leave Rsh9nd Bal
lies there buried, hut when the power OF
choice was in him he came to Richmond
TO live. That he even died In Baltimore
Richmond, October ., 1s49. fully intending
to return, flushed with the hope of mar
rying Mrs. A.. B. Shelton, Richmond
lady, and greatly encouraged by the pros
pect Of establishing in this, city The
stylus" magazine to which he hoped
70 give the remaining years OF his lie.
lle no doubt expected then to, make Rich
at, last beneath the shades Of Hollywood,
where as boy, he had played,
Poe was born In Boston. January 10,
1863. Two years later his father and
bers Of travelling theatrical company.
His father, David Poe, died in Norfolk in
the spring of ISL. and Mrs. Poe. frail at
pest, was left with three children, Will
AiSh's, IAN6dlp IApattliS. Ilt
eldest was sent to his grandparents in,
Baltimore, and that fall Mrs Poe, with.
Edgar and Resale. came to Richmond
70 take her place in GREEN'S company.
then about to open the season in the
Richmond Theatre, which was burned the
day after Christmas Of the same year.
II was In the fire OF this theatre, which
/ that seventy prominent Richmond people
lost their lives. Mrs. Poo died Of pneu-
monia. December 9Th, and Edgar and
|, Rosalie, baby Skeletons were homeless,
and for the time fllendless. The hands
Of charity buried the mother IN st. Johns
/ Churchyard, and the hands Of charity.
| likewise provided homes for the orphan
children Mr., and Mrs John Allan took
| Edgar. and Mrs. James Mckenzie gave Il
warm hearted mother's comfort to the
I little girl.
| This tells briefly the story "of the be-
ginning of poc's life in Richmond. From
1911 until 1915 he was the lfe and pride
Of the Allan home on Fourteenth Street.
and Mrs Allan took him to 2. ENGLAND
enjoying during this period the, advan-
tages OF an excellent school on the sub
1885. Richmond was continuously the home