Text: Anonymous, “[Semi-Centennial of Poe's Death,” The Chautauquan (Cleveland, OH), vol. 30, no. 5, February 1900, p. 453

[page 453, column 1, continued:]

The recent semi-centennial of the death of Edgar Allan Poe has brought out quite a number of incidents concerning this most erratic American genius. One of these has a particularly pathetic side to it since it relates to the final disposition of the body of his sweet child-wife — his “lost Lenore.”

It is well known that when Poe lived in the humble cottage at Fordham, New York, he was in the awful grip of three demons — poverty, sickness and pride, and that the gloom of his life was intensified by the sufferings and death of his wife Virginia Clemm, who gave up the unequal struggle in 1847, two years before her brilliant but morose husband passed from the stage of life. In the burial-ground at Fordham they laid the emaciated form of her whom Poe immortalized as “Annabel Lee,” and it is said that for weeks afterward the “sad and weary” poet wandered alone about the little cemetery; frequently at night he would spend hours by the graveside of his beloved companion. About thirty years later, William Fearing Gill, who had been preparing a biography [column 2:] of Poe, happened to visit Fordham, where he learned that the cemetery had been sold, and found men engaged in removing the bodies. He therefore took it upon himself to care for the remains of Virginia Poe, had the grave opened, and the “few, thin, discolored bones that were found there” were assembled and taken away by him. It was his intention to have these placed in the grave of Poe, in Westminster Churchyard, Baltimore, and in his “Life of Poe” he makes a statement to that effect, but whether this was done or not seems to be uncertain.

There is another story going about to the effect that in Baltimore fragments of the coffin in which Poe was buried are held as priceless relics. One of these fragments, so the Baltimore Sun says, is in the possession of Mr. Louis F. Grafflin, who received it from his brother, Mr. Howard Grafflin, who was present when Poe's body was exhumed, and then buried in its present grave. Mr. Grafflin refutes the statement that Poe was buried, almost as a pauper, with a coffin of poplar, stained to imitate walnut, by pointing to the fragment of the coffin, which is a piece of solid mahogany. Mr. Grafflin's uncle, Mr. Henry Herring, married a Miss Poe, who was a relative of the poet, and Edgar Allan Poe was always a welcome visitor at their home. Mr. Herring told his nephew that he bore the expense of Poe's burial, and, from the accustomed generosity of Mr. Herring and his fondness for Poe, is is [[sic]] inferred that no expense was spared at the funeral.