January’s Historical Figures
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11th, 1757 on a Caribbean island called Nevis. When he was ten, his father, James Hamilton, abandoned him and his mother. A few years later, Alexander and his mother fell sick and, while Hamilton recovered, his mother passed away. Having to fend for himself, Hamilton worked and managed a trading company, writing in his free time. When he was seventeen, a hurricane struck his town and he wrote and published a description of the destruction. Many people then realized his eloquence and funded his trip off of the island and into New York City.
In 1772, Hamilton attended King’s College (now Columbia University.) He then went on to become George Washington’s aide de camp and worked alongside his close friend John Laurens, a young soldier fighting to abolish slavery, and the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military leader. After numerous battles, Hamilton’s marriage to Eliza Schuyler, and finally the surrender of the British at Yorktown, Hamilton returned to New York to study law and become Washington’s Secretary of Treasury. During his term, he formed the majority of America’s financial plan which is still in use today. Hamilton also wrote fifty one of the Federalist Papers defending the U.S. constitution to the public. In 1797, “The Reynolds Pamphlet” was published which delivered a serious blow to his reputation. Then, in 1801, Hamilton’s oldest son Phillip died in a duel and, three years later, Alexander Hamilton died in a duel with Aaron Burr after refusing to endorse Burr for president.
Alphonse “Al” Capone was born on January 17th, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. He dropped out of school in the sixth grade and later met Johnny Torrio, who was his gateway into the gang community. At nineteen, Capone married Mae Coughlin and moved to Baltimore in an attempt to be good to his family. Torrio invited him back to Chicago years later and Capone obliged. Torrio, then, moved back to Italy and left Capone in charge of his gang. Al Capone gained popularity amongst the people during the Prohibition Era, however when his acts became more violent, he lost the favor of the people. After many more violent acts, bribes, and eventually an eleven year jail sentence, Capone had become and still is one of the most famous gangsters of all time. He died January 27th, 1947.
Edgar Allan Poe was born January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. He never had a chance to know his parents as his father left him at a young age and his mother died when he was only three. From there, Poe went to live with a Tobacco merchant named John Allan. Poe often quarreled with Allan as the young poet wished to pursue writing while the merchant wished him to continue his family’s business. Poe attended the University of Virginia in 1826 but didn’t have enough funds and moved back to Boston. Here, Edgar Allan Poe published his first collection of poems: Tamerlane and Other Poems. After a final argument with John Allan, Poe cut ties with him. Poe, then, moved on to commit to writing full-time. While he gained popularity, he still struggled financially and had to live with his aunt. Poe was known for writing mystery and horror short stories. He died on October 7th, 1849. Though he was not financially successful during his lifetime, his writings have survived the years and are still popular today.