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THE annexed letter and accompanying remarks, furnished us by a contributor (whom our readers have known under another name), convey a [page 429:] piece of information that many will, doubtless, be glad to receive. It has rarely been the misfortune of any man that such a narrative of his life as Griswold's sketch of Poe, has been accepted as a veritable biography: it has probably never been any other author's misfortune to have such a biography attached to every edition of his works. It is more than time that this were put an end to; and we are glad that Mr. Ingram proposes to do it by publishing a genuine life of that much- -maligned man. We trust that all persons who can aid him in his work will put themselves in communication with him. Now for our contributor: —
ENGLAND, LONDON, GENERAL POST-OFFICE, }
Engineer-in-Chief's Office, 10th March, 1874. }
Dear Sir: — Your name has been given me as that of a gentleman able and willing to assist me in my researches into the life of E. A. Poe. The enclosed cutting will give you some idea of how I am going to work; but it necessarily represents but a very small portion of my discoveries. Assisted by American correspondents, I am able to refute nearly every one of Griswold's filthy lies. To disgust Poe's friends, he seems to have stopped at nothing.
In the biography which I am writing, I of course utterly discard all Griswold's “Memoir.” I have correlated many dates, and have already obtained much correspondence, but shall be very thankful still for the slightest scrap of information, or any reminiscence of Poe or of his family. I am told that you are a Marylander; you may, therefore, know something of the family. He is stated to have been engaged to a Southern lady of fortune, after his engagement with Mrs. Whitman was broken off — do you know her name, or anything of the circumstances? Do you know who “Helen S——” was? — said to have been mother of a school-fellow of Poe while he was at the Richmond Academy. Do you know anything whatever of Poe's brother, Wm. Henry L. — what he was, &c.? Can you procure me copies of what John Neal and Geo. R. Graham wrote about Griswold's character of Poe? I would willingly pay for them, or for any copies of letters written by Poe, or anything useful about him. Can you give me a few lines of reminiscence? I believe you knew him personally. Can you refer me to any one in Baltimore, or in Richmond, Virginia, who knew him, or anything about him? The slightest information or clue will be acceptable.
His sister Rosalie is alive, but old and very poor. I am raising a sum of money for her. I am afraid she is not able to give me much reliable information.
I shall be glad to purchase any paper or publication containing anything of Poe's not included in the 4 vol. collection of his works (New York, Widdleton, 1864). Anything he wrote before 1834 would be acceptable, or any information as to where he was and what he did between March, 1831, and the autumn of 1833.
In hopes of your kindly aid toward furnishing the world with the true story of this great man's life,
I remain yours truly,
JOHN H. INGRAM,
F. R. His. Society.
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Notes:
Most of the information Ingram was seeking is now known. For example, “Helen S——” was Mrs. Jane Stith Stanard, whom Poe referred to as Helen Standard.
“F. R. Historical Society” means that Ingram was a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, an honor which he earned in 1867. Those who have been so elected ar granted permission to sign correspondence and publications with some form of “F. R. Hist. Soc.” for “Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.”
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[S:0 - SM, 1874] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - A Poe Bookshelf - Letter to G. W. Evelth (J. H. Ingram, 1874)