Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston. After losing his parents early, he was raised by a foster family. He attended the University of Virginia briefly but left due to financial issues.
Poe became famous for his eerie poems and stories, with "The Raven" being his most famous work. He also wrote "The Cask of Amontillado."
Later in life, he struggled with personal problems and poverty. He died in 1849 in Baltimore at the age of 40.
Poe is important for his influence on horror and mystery literature, and his works are still widely read today.