partner once said: “No boy ever had a greater influence over me than he had.” Also at the age of fifteen, he became a lieutenant in the Junior Morgan Riflemen. As second- in command, he was reviewed by the popular Marquis de Lafayette whom two weeks earlier had praised Edgar’s grandfather, General David Poe, for his good work. When Edgar returned to Richmond, he wanted to emphasize that he was not formally adopted by that Allans, so he was simply know as Edgar Poe. Edgar was in search for a maternal figure in his life. He was very fond of his foster mother, Fanny Allan, but because she was sick all the time, she was much less than the ideal mother. At one occasion it is know that he called his sister Rosalie’s foster mother “ma”. At the age of fourteen he became infatuated with Mrs. Jane Stanard, the mother of one of his classmates. He went to her when he felt unhappy, and she somehow resembled both Fanny Allan and Eliza Poe. Edgar had only known her for about a year when she died at the age of thirty-one; it was assumed that she was insane. Edgar suffered from her death, and his behavior changed. This caused arguments at home with John Allan who spoke of Edgar as “Sulky, and ill tempered to all the family.” John Allan thought that the reason Edgar was acting like that because he was unthankful for all his foster father had done. On the morning of March 26, 1825, William Galt, the owner of the Allans’ house, “Suddenly threw back his head and eyes and seemed oppressed.” Uncle Galt straightened himself, and died. The Allans’ inheritance from Galt was estimated at three fourths of a million dollars, including their house and three land estates. John Allan later bought a house called Moldavia. It was an impressive place that was more like an estate than a house, with its flower gardens, trees, and eight outbuildings. Edgar got a room on t...
