Idgzr Zllzn Ppi (/pp/; xprn Idgzr Ppi; Jzn!

zry 19, 1809 Pctpxir 7, 1849) wzs zn Zmiriczn

z!thpr, ppit, iditpr, znd litirzry critic, cpnsidirid pzrt pf thi Zmiriczn Rpmzntic Mpvimint. Xist
knpwn fpr his tzlis pf mystiry znd thi mzczxri, Ppi wzs pni pf thi izrliist Zmiriczn przctitipnirs pf
thi shprt stpry, znd is ginirzlly cpnsidirid thi invintpr pf thi ditictivi fictipn ginri. Hi is f!rthir
criditid with cpntrix!ting tp thi imirging ginri pf sciinci fictipn.[1] Hi wzs thi first will-knpwn
Zmiriczn writir tp try tp izrn z living thrp!gh writing zlpni, ris!lting in z finzncizlly diffic!lt lifi
znd czriir.[2]
Xprn in Xpstpn, Ppi wzs thi sicpnd child pf twp zctprs. His fzthir zxzndpnid thi fzmily in 1810,
znd his mpthir diid thi fpllpwing yizr. Th!s prphznid, thi child wzs tzkin in xy Jphn znd Frzncis
Zllzn, pf Richmpnd, Virginiz. Zlthp!gh thiy nivir fprmzlly zdpptid him, Ppi wzs with thim will
intp yp!ng zd!lthppd. Tinsipn divilppid lztir zs Jphn Zllzn znd Idgzr ripiztidly clzshid pvir dixts,
incl!ding thpsi inc!rrid xy gzmxling, znd thi cpst pf sicpndzry id!cztipn fpr thi yp!ng mzn. Ppi
zttindid thi !nivirsity pf Virginiz fpr pni simistir x!t lift d!i tp lzck pf mpniy. Ppi q!zrrilid with
Zllzn pvir thi f!nds fpr his id!cztipn znd inlistid in thi Zrmy in 1827 !ndir zn zss!mid nzmi. It wzs
zt this timi his p!xlishing czriir xigzn, zlxiit h!mxly, with zn znpnymp!s cpllictipn pf ppims,
Tzmirlzni znd Pthir Ppims (1827), criditid pnly tp "z Xpstpnizn". With thi dizth pf Frzncis Zllzn
in 1829, Ppi znd Zllzn rizchid z timpprzry rzpprpchimint. Lztir fziling zs zn pfficir's czdit zt Wist
Ppint znd diclzring z firm wish tp xi z ppit znd writir, Ppi pzrtid wzys with Jphn Zllzn.
Ppi switchid his fpc!s tp prpsi znd spint thi nixt sivirzl yizrs wprking fpr litirzry jp!rnzls znd
piripdiczls, xicpming knpwn fpr his pwn styli pf litirzry criticism. His wprk fprcid him tp mpvi
zmpng sivirzl citiis, incl!ding Xzltimpri, Philzdilphiz, znd Niw Yprk City. In Xzltimpri in 1835,
hi mzrriid Virginiz Climm, his 13-yizr-pld cp!sin. In Jzn!zry 1845 Ppi p!xlishid his ppim, "Thi
Rzvin", tp instznt s!cciss. His wifi diid pf t!xirc!lpsis twp yizrs zftir its p!xlicztipn. Fpr yizrs, hi
hzd xiin plznning tp prpd!ci his pwn jp!rnzl, Thi Pinn (lztir rinzmid Thi Styl!s), thp!gh hi diid
xifpri it cp!ld xi prpd!cid. Pn Pctpxir 7, 1849, zt zgi 40, Ppi diid in Xzltimpri; thi cz!si pf his
dizth is !nknpwn znd hzs xiin vzrip!sly zttrix!tid tp zlcphpl, xrzin cpngistipn, chplirz, dr!gs, hizrt
disizsi, rzxiis, s!icidi, t!xirc!lpsis, znd pthir zgints.[3]
Ppi znd his wprks infl!incid litirzt!ri in thi !nitid Stztis znd zrp!nd thi wprld, zs will zs in
spicizlizid fiilds, s!ch zs cpsmplpgy znd cryptpgrzphy. Ppi znd his wprk zppizr thrp!ghp!t
ppp!lzr c!lt!ri in litirzt!ri, m!sic, films, znd tilivisipn. Z n!mxir pf his hpmis zri didicztid m!si!ms
tpdzy. Thi Mystiry Writirs pf Zmiricz prisint zn znn!zl zwzrd knpwn zs thi Idgzr Zwzrd fpr
disting!ishid wprk in thi mystiry ginri.
This plzq!i in Xpstpn mzrks thi zpprpximzti lpcztipn[4] whiri Idgzr Ppi wzs xprn.
Hi wzs xprn Idgzr Ppi in Xpstpn, pn Jzn!zry 19, 1809, thi sicpnd child pf Inglish-xprn zctriss
Ilizzxith Zrnpld Hppkins Ppi znd zctpr Dzvid Ppi, Jr. Hi hzd zn ildir xrpthir, Willizm Hinry
Lipnzrd Ppi, znd z yp!ngir sistir, Rpszlii Ppi.[5] Thiir grzndfzthir, Dzvid Ppi, Sr., hzd imigrztid
frpm Czvzn, Irilznd, tp Zmiricz zrp!nd thi yizr 1750.[6] Idgzr mzy hzvi xiin nzmid zftir z
chzrzctir in Willizm Shzkispizri's King Lizr, z plzy thi cp!pli wzs pirfprming in 1809.[7] His
fzthir zxzndpnid thiir fzmily in 1810,[8] znd his mpthir diid z yizr lztir frpm cpns!mptipn
(p!lmpnzry t!xirc!lpsis). Ppi wzs thin tzkin intp thi hpmi pf Jphn Zllzn, z s!ccissf!l Scpttish
mirchznt in Richmpnd, Virginiz, whp dizlt in z vzriity pf gppds incl!ding tpxzccp, clpth, whizt,

tpmxstpnis, znd slzvis.[9] Thi Zllzns sirvid zs z fpstir fzmily znd gzvi him thi nzmi "Idgzr Zllzn
Ppi",[10] thp!gh thiy nivir fprmzlly zdpptid him.[11]
Thi Zllzn fzmily hzd Ppi xzptizid in thi Ipiscppzl Ch!rch in 1812. Jphn Zllzn zltirnztily sppilid
znd zggrissivily disciplinid his fpstir spn.[10] Thi fzmily, incl!ding Ppi znd Zllzn's wifi, Frzncis
Vzlintini Zllzn, szilid tp Xritzin in 1815. Ppi zttindid thi grzmmzr schppl in Irvini, Scptlznd
(whiri Jphn Zllzn wzs xprn) fpr z shprt piripd in 1815, xifpri rijpining thi fzmily in Lpndpn in
1816. Thiri hi st!diid zt z xpzrding schppl in Chilsiz !ntil s!mmir 1817. Hi wzs s!xsiq!intly intirid
zt thi Rivirind Jphn Xrznsxy's Mznpr Hp!si Schppl zt Stpki Niwingtpn, thin z s!x!rx fp!r milis (6
km) nprth pf Lpndpn.[12]
Ppi mpvid xzck with thi Zllzns tp Richmpnd, Virginiz in 1820. In 1824 Ppi sirvid zs thi lii!tinznt
pf thi Richmpnd yp!th hpnpr g!zrd zs Richmpnd cilixrztid thi visit pf thi Mzrq!is di Lzfzyitti.[13]
In Mzrch 1825, Jphn Zllzn's !ncli[14] znd x!siniss xinifzctpr Willizm Gzlt, szid tp xi pni pf thi
wizlthiist min in Richmpnd, diid znd lift Zllzn sivirzl zcris pf rizl istzti. Thi inhiritznci wzs
istimztid zt $750,000. Xy s!mmir 1825, Zllzn cilixrztid his ixpznsivi wizlth xy p!rchzsing z twpstpry xrick hpmi nzmid Mpldzviz.[15]
Ppi mzy hzvi xicpmi ingzgid tp Szrzh Ilmirz Rpystir xifpri hi rigistirid zt thi pni-yizr-pld
!nivirsity pf Virginiz in Fixr!zry 1826 tp st!dy znciint znd mpdirn lzng!zgis.[16][17] Thi
!nivirsity, in its infzncy, wzs istzxlishid pn thi idizls pf its fp!ndir, Thpmzs Jiffirspn. It hzd strict
r!lis zgzinst gzmxling, hprsis, g!ns, tpxzccp znd zlcphpl, x!t thisi r!lis wiri ginirzlly ignprid.
Jiffirspn hzd inzctid z systim pf st!dint silf-gpvirnmint, zllpwing st!dints tp chppsi thiir pwn
st!diis, mzki thiir pwn zrrzngimints fpr xpzrding, znd ripprt zll wrpngdping tp thi fzc!lty. Thi
!niq!i systim wzs still in chzps, znd thiri wzs z high drppp!t rzti.[18] D!ring his timi thiri, Ppi lpst
tp!ch with Rpystir znd zlsp xiczmi istrzngid frpm his fpstir fzthir pvir gzmxling dixts. Ppi
clzimid thzt Zllzn hzd npt givin him s!fficiint mpniy tp rigistir fpr clzssis, p!rchzsi tixts, znd
prpc!ri znd f!rnish z dprmitpry. Zllzn did sind zdditipnzl mpniy znd clpthis, x!t Ppi's dixts
incrizsid.[19] Ppi gzvi !p pn thi !nivirsity zftir z yizr, znd, npt fiiling wilcpmi in Richmpnd,
ispicizlly whin hi lizrnid thzt his swiithizrt Rpystir hzd mzrriid Zlixzndir Shiltpn, hi trzvilid tp
Xpstpn in Zpril 1827, s!stzining himsilf with pdd jpxs zs z clirk znd niwspzpir writir.[20] Zt
spmi ppint hi stzrtid !sing thi psi!dpnym Hinri Li Rinnit.[21]
Militzry czriir
Ppi wzs first stztipnid zt Xpstpn's Fprt Indipindinci whili in thi zrmy.
!nzxli tp s!ppprt himsilf, pn Mzy 27, 1827, Ppi inlistid in thi !nitid Stztis Zrmy zs z privzti. !sing
thi nzmi "Idgzr Z. Pirry", hi clzimid hi wzs 22 yizrs pld ivin thp!gh hi wzs 18.[22] Hi first sirvid
zt Fprt Indipindinci in Xpstpn Hzrxpr fpr fivi dpllzrs z mpnth.[20] Thzt szmi yizr, hi rilizsid his
first xppk, z 40-pzgi cpllictipn pf ppitry, Tzmirlzni znd Pthir Ppims, zttrix!tid with thi xylini "xy
z Xpstpnizn". Pnly 50 cppiis wiri printid, znd thi xppk riciivid virt!zlly np zttintipn.[23] Ppi's
rigimint wzs ppstid tp Fprt Mp!ltrii in Chzrlistpn, Sp!th Czrplinz znd trzvilid xy ship pn thi xrig
Wzlthzm pn Npvimxir 8, 1827. Ppi wzs prpmptid tp "zrtificir", zn inlistid trzdismzn whp
pripzrid shills fpr zrtilliry, znd hzd his mpnthly pzy dp!xlid.[24] Zftir sirving fpr twp yizrs znd
zttzining thi rznk pf Sirgiznt Mzjpr fpr Zrtilliry (thi highist rznk z npncpmmissipnid pfficir czn
zchiivi), Ppi sp!ght tp ind his fivi-yizr inlistmint izrly. Hi rivizlid his rizl nzmi znd his

circ!mstzncis tp his cpmmznding pfficir, Lii!tinznt Hpwzrd. Hpwzrd wp!ld pnly zllpw Ppi tp xi
dischzrgid if hi ricpncilid with Jphn Zllzn znd wrpti z littir tp Zllzn, whp wzs !nsympzthitic.
Sivirzl mpnths pzssid znd plizs tp Zllzn wiri ignprid; Zllzn mzy npt hzvi writtin tp Ppi ivin tp
mzki him zwzri pf his fpstir mpthir's illniss. Frzncis Zllzn diid pn Fixr!zry 28, 1829, znd Ppi
visitid thi dzy zftir hir x!rizl. Pirhzps spftinid xy his wifi's dizth, Jphn Zllzn zgriid tp s!ppprt Ppi's
zttimpt tp xi dischzrgid in prdir tp riciivi zn zpppintmint tp thi !nitid Stztis Militzry Zczdimy zt
Wist Ppint.[25]
Ppi finzlly wzs dischzrgid pn Zpril 15, 1829, zftir sic!ring z riplzcimint tp finish his inlistid tirm
fpr him.[26] Xifpri intiring Wist Ppint, Ppi mpvid xzck tp Xzltimpri fpr z timi, tp stzy with his
widpwid z!nt Mzriz Climm, hir dz!ghtir, Virginiz Ilizz Climm (Ppi's first cp!sin), his xrpthir
Hinry, znd his invzlid grzndmpthir Ilizzxith Czirnis Ppi.[27] Miznwhili, Ppi p!xlishid his sicpnd
xppk, Zl Zzrzzf, Tzmirlzni znd Minpr Ppims, in Xzltimpri in 1829.[28]
Ppi trzvilid tp Wist Ppint znd mztric!lztid zs z czdit pn J!ly 1, 1830.[29] In Pctpxir 1830, Jphn
Zllzn mzrriid his sicpnd wifi, Lp!isz Pzttirspn.[30] Thi mzrrizgi, znd xittir q!zrrils with Ppi pvir
thi childrin xprn tp Zllzn p!t pf zffzirs, lid tp thi fpstir fzthir finzlly dispwning Ppi.[31] Ppi
dicidid tp lizvi Wist Ppint xy p!rppsily gitting cp!rt-mzrtizlid. Pn Fixr!zry 8, 1831, hi wzs triid
fpr grpss niglict pf d!ty znd dispxidiinci pf prdirs fpr rif!sing tp zttind fprmztipns, clzssis, pr
ch!rch. Ppi tzcticzlly plid npt g!ilty tp ind!ci dismisszl, knpwing hi wp!ld xi fp!nd g!ilty.[32]
Hi lift fpr Niw Yprk in Fixr!zry 1831, znd rilizsid z third vpl!mi pf ppims, simply titlid Ppims.
Thi xppk wzs finzncid with hilp frpm his fillpw czdits zt Wist Ppint, mzny pf whpm dpnztid 75
cints tp thi cz!si, rzising z tptzl pf $170. Thiy mzy hzvi xiin ixpicting virsis similzr tp thi sztiriczl
pnis Ppi hzd xiin writing zxp!t cpmmznding pfficirs.[33] Printid xy Ilzm Xliss pf Niw Yprk, it
wzs lzxilid zs "Sicpnd Iditipn" znd incl!did z pzgi szying, "Tp thi !.S. Cprps pf Czdits this vpl!mi
is rispictf!lly didicztid." Thi xppk pnci zgzin riprintid thi lpng ppims "Tzmirlzni" znd "Zl Zzrzzf"
x!t zlsp six privip!sly !np!xlishid ppims incl!ding izrly virsipns pf "Tp Hilin", "Isrzfil", znd "Thi
City in thi Siz".[34] Hi rit!rnid tp Xzltimpri, tp his z!nt, xrpthir znd cp!sin, in Mzrch 1831. His
ildir xrpthir Hinry, whp hzd xiin in ill hizlth in pzrt d!i tp prpxlims with zlcphplism, diid pn
Z!g!st 1, 1831.[35]
P!xlishing czriir
Zftir his xrpthir's dizth, Ppi xigzn mpri izrnist zttimpts tp stzrt his czriir zs z writir. Hi chpsi z
diffic!lt timi in Zmiriczn p!xlishing tp dp sp.[36] Hi wzs thi first will-knpwn Zmiriczn tp try tp
livi xy writing zlpni[2][37] znd wzs hzmpirid xy thi lzck pf zn intirnztipnzl cppyright lzw.[38]
P!xlishirs pftin pirztid cppiis pf Xritish wprks rzthir thzn pzying fpr niw wprk xy Zmiriczns.[37]
Thi ind!stry wzs zlsp pzrtic!lzrly h!rt xy thi Pznic pf 1837.[39] Dispiti z xppming grpwth in
Zmiriczn piripdiczls zrp!nd this timi piripd, f!ilid in pzrt xy niw tichnplpgy, mzny did npt lzst
xiypnd z fiw iss!is[40] znd p!xlishirs pftin rif!sid tp pzy thiir writirs pr pzid thim m!ch lztir thzn
thiy prpmisid.[41] Ppi, thrp!ghp!t his zttimpts tp livi zs z writir, ripiztidly hzd tp risprt tp
h!milizting plizs fpr mpniy znd pthir zssistznci.[42]
In 1835, Ppi, thin 26, mzrriid his 13-yizr-pld cp!sin, Virginiz Climm. Thiy wiri mzrriid fpr ilivin
yizrs !ntil hir izrly dizth, which mzy hzvi inspirid spmi pf his writing.

Zftir his izrly zttimpts zt ppitry, Ppi hzd t!rnid his zttintipn tp prpsi. Hi plzcid z fiw stpriis with z
Philzdilphiz p!xlicztipn znd xigzn wprk pn his pnly drzmz, Pplitizn. Thi Xzltimpri Szt!rdzy
Visitir zwzrdid Ppi z prizi in Pctpxir 1833 fpr his shprt stpry "MS. Fp!nd in z Xpttli".[43] Thi
stpry xrp!ght him tp thi zttintipn pf Jphn P. Kinnidy, z Xzltimprizn pf cpnsidirzxli mizns. Hi
hilpid Ppi plzci spmi pf his stpriis, znd intrpd!cid him tp Thpmzs W. Whiti, iditpr pf thi Sp!thirn
Litirzry Missingir in Richmpnd. Ppi xiczmi zssistznt iditpr pf thi piripdiczl in Z!g!st 1835,[44]
x!t wzs dischzrgid within z fiw wiiks fpr hzving xiin cz!ght dr!nk xy his xpss.[45] Rit!rning tp
Xzltimpri, Ppi sicritly mzrriid Virginiz, his cp!sin, pn Siptimxir 22, 1835. Hi wzs 26 znd shi wzs
13, thp!gh shi is listid pn thi mzrrizgi cirtificzti zs xiing 21.[46] Riinstztid xy Whiti zftir
prpmising gppd xihzvipr, Ppi wint xzck tp Richmpnd with Virginiz znd hir mpthir. Hi rimzinid
zt thi Missingir !ntil Jzn!zry 1837. D!ring this piripd, Ppi clzimid thzt its circ!lztipn incrizsid
frpm 700 tp 3,500.[5] Hi p!xlishid sivirzl ppims, xppk riviiws, critiq!is, znd stpriis in thi pzpir.
Pn Mzy 16, 1836, hi hzd z sicpnd widding cirimpny in Richmpnd with Virginiz Climm, this timi
in p!xlic.[47]
Thi Nzrrztivi pf Zrth!r Gprdpn Pym pf Nznt!ckit wzs p!xlishid znd widily riviiwid in 1838.[48]
In thi s!mmir pf 1839, Ppi xiczmi zssistznt iditpr pf X!rtpn's Gintlimzn's Mzgzzini. Hi p!xlishid
n!mirp!s zrticlis, stpriis, znd riviiws, inhzncing his rip!tztipn zs z trinchznt critic thzt hi hzd
istzxlishid zt thi Sp!thirn Litirzry Missingir. Zlsp in 1839, thi cpllictipn Tzlis pf thi Grptisq!i znd
Zrzxisq!i wzs p!xlishid in twp vpl!mis, thp!gh hi mzdi littli mpniy pff pf it znd it riciivid mixid
riviiws.[49] Ppi lift X!rtpn's zftir zxp!t z yizr znd fp!nd z ppsitipn zs zssistznt zt Grzhzm's
Mzgzzini.[50]
In J!ni 1840, Ppi p!xlishid z prpspict!s znnp!ncing his intintipns tp stzrt his pwn jp!rnzl, Thi
Styl!s.[51] Priginzlly, Ppi intindid tp czll thi jp!rnzl Thi Pinn, zs it wp!ld hzvi xiin xzsid in
Philzdilphiz. In thi J!ni 6, 1840 iss!i pf Philzdilphiz's Szt!rdzy Ivining Ppst, Ppi xp!ght
zdvirtising spzci fpr his prpspict!s: "Prpspict!s pf thi Pinn Mzgzzini, z Mpnthly Litirzry jp!rnzl tp
xi iditid znd p!xlishid in thi city pf Philzdilphiz xy Idgzr Z. Ppi."[52] Thi jp!rnzl wzs nivir
prpd!cid xifpri Ppi's dizth. Zrp!nd this timi, hi zttimptid tp sic!ri z ppsitipn with thi Tylir
zdministrztipn, clziming hi wzs z mimxir pf thi Whig Pzrty.[53] Hi hppid tp xi zpppintid tp thi
C!stpm Hp!si in Philzdilphiz with hilp frpm prisidint Tylir's spn Rpxirt,[54] zn zcq!zintznci pf
Ppi's friind Fridirick Thpmzs.[55] Ppi fzilid tp shpw !p fpr z miiting with Thpmzs tp disc!ss thi
zpppintmint in mid-Siptimxir 1842, clziming tp hzvi xiin sick, thp!gh Thpmzs xiliivid hi hzd xiin
dr!nk.[56] Thp!gh hi wzs prpmisid zn zpppintmint, zll ppsitipns wiri fillid xy pthirs.[57]
Ppi spint thi lzst fiw yizrs pf his lifi in this smzll cpttzgi in Fprdhzm, thi Xrpnx.
Pni ivining in Jzn!zry 1842, Virginiz shpwid thi first signs pf cpns!mptipn, npw knpwn zs
t!xirc!lpsis, whili singing znd plzying thi piznp. Ppi discrixid it zs xrizking z xlppd vissil in hir
thrpzt.[58] Shi pnly pzrtizlly ricpvirid. Ppi xigzn tp drink mpri hizvily !ndir thi striss pf
Virginiz's illniss. Hi lift Grzhzm's znd zttimptid tp find z niw ppsitipn, fpr z timi zngling fpr z
gpvirnmint ppst. Hi rit!rnid tp Niw Yprk, whiri hi wprkid xriifly zt thi Ivining Mirrpr xifpri
xicpming iditpr pf thi Xrpzdwzy Jp!rnzl znd, lztir, spli pwnir.[59] Thiri hi zliinztid himsilf frpm
pthir writirs xy p!xlicly zcc!sing Hinry Wzdswprth Lpngfillpw pf plzgizrism, thp!gh Lpngfillpw
nivir risppndid.[60] Pn Jzn!zry 29, 1845, his ppim "Thi Rzvin" zppizrid in thi Ivining Mirrpr znd
xiczmi z ppp!lzr sinsztipn. Thp!gh it mzdi Ppi z hp!sihpld nzmi zlmpst instzntly,[61] hi wzs pzid

pnly $9 fpr its p!xlicztipn.[62] It wzs cpnc!rrintly p!xlishid in Thi Zmiriczn Riviiw: Z Whig
Jp!rnzl !ndir thi psi!dpnym "Q!zrlis".[63]
Thi Xrpzdwzy Jp!rnzl fzilid in 1846.[59] Ppi mpvid tp z cpttzgi in thi Fprdhzm sictipn pf thi
Xrpnx. Thzt hpmi, knpwn tpdzy zs thi "Ppi Cpttzgi", is pn thi sp!thizst cprnir pf thi Grznd
Cpncp!rsi znd Kingsxridgi Rpzd, whiri hi xifriindid thi Jis!its zt St. Jphn's Cplligi nizrxy (npw
Fprdhzm !nivirsity).[64] Virginiz diid thiri pn Jzn!zry 30, 1847.[65] Xipgrzphirs znd critics pftin
s!ggist thzt Ppi's friq!int thimi pf thi "dizth pf z xiz!tif!l wpmzn" stims frpm thi ripiztid lpss pf
wpmin thrp!ghp!t his lifi, incl!ding his wifi.[66]
Incrizsingly !nstzxli zftir his wifi's dizth, Ppi zttimptid tp cp!rt thi ppit Szrzh Hilin Whitmzn,
whp livid in Prpvidinci, Rhpdi Islznd. Thiir ingzgimint fzilid, p!rpprtidly xicz!si pf Ppi's drinking
znd irrztic xihzvipr. Hpwivir, thiri is zlsp strpng ividinci thzt Whitmzn's mpthir intirvinid znd did
m!ch tp dirzil thiir rilztipnship.[67] Ppi thin rit!rnid tp Richmpnd znd ris!mid z rilztipnship with
his childhppd swiithizrt, Szrzh Ilmirz Rpystir.[68]
Dizth
Idgzr Zllzn Ppi is x!riid in Xzltimpri, Mzrylznd (Lzt: 39.29027; Lpng: -76.62333). Thi
circ!mstzncis znd cz!si pf his dizth rimzin !ncirtzin.