27 February: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Born this date in 1807 was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the American poet responsible for the oft quoted line, "Into each life some rain must fall" was born on 27 February 1807. His best known works include Paul Revere's Ride and The Song of Hiawatha. Here are 10 facts about him.

1. He was born in Portland, Maine, and was the second of eight children. He was descended from pilgrims who arrived in America on the Mayflower.
2. He was a published poet at just thirteen when the Portland Gazette printed his poem The Battle of Lovell's Pond.
3. When he was 18, he embarked on a grand tour of Europe that lasted three years. The trip was funded by his father and cost $2,604.24. During the trip he taught himself French, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian.
4. Up until he was 47, and retired to become one of the first people in America to live off the proceeds of his writing, he had a day job - teaching modern languages at Harvard, and running the department. He taught French, German, Spanish and Italian. He became a professor of modern languages after writing books and critical essays in six languages.
5. His first wife was his childhood sweetheart, Mary Storer Potter. He married her in 1831. She died four years later, aged just 22, from complications following a miscarriage. His poem, Footsteps of Angels, was about her.
6. A few years later, on a trip to Switzerland, he met Frances Appleton and began courting her. She wasn't interested at first and it took him seven years to win her round. During that time he frequently crossed the Boston Bridge when walking from his home to hers, a 90 minute walk. When the bridge was replaced in 1906 it was renamed the Longfellow Bridge. They had six children. At the birth of their daughter Fanny, Frances became the first woman in America to be given an anesthetic during childbirth.
7. Frances died in 1861. She was sealing an envelope with hot wax when her dress caught fire. It's not known whether this was caused by hot wax, dropping a lighted candle or a match. Longfellow rushed to help her by throwing a rug over her, and when that proved too small, used his own body to stifle the flames. It was all to no avail, however, as Frances died from her injuries the following day. The incident left Wadsworth himself badly burned, so he wasn't able to go to her funeral. The burns on his face meant he could no longer shave, so it was from then that he grew a beard.
8. His poem, The Hanging of the Crane was sold to the New York Ledger for $3,000 - the highest price ever paid for a poem.
9. In his later years, he didn't enjoy good health, and didn't go out much. Nevertheless, he was extremely popular during his lifetime. When the famous "spreading chestnut tree" mentioned in one of his poems was cut down, local children had it made into a chair, and presented it to him.
10. He died from peritonitis in 1882, aged 75.

See also: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Quotes

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