Poe was born in Boston on Jan. 19, 1809. His parents died when he was very young and he was raised by foster parents in Richmond, Va.
Poe married Virginia Eliza Clemm in 1836 when the girl was only 13. His fixation on her and her early death in 1847 are echoed in much of his work.
Poe's first collection of poems, "Tamerlane and Other Poems," was published in 1827. Other works followed over the next two decades, including "The Raven," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and "The Masque of the Red Death."
Among his other contributions to literature, Poe is credited with creating the first detective story: "The Murders in the Rue Morgue."
Poe turned to alcohol after his wife's death, which likely contributed to his own premature death on Oct. 7, 1849.