U.S. #4124

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Issue Date: March 15, 2007

City: New York, NY

Quantity Issued: 30,000,000

Birth Of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Acclaimed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born on February 27, 1807, in Portland, Maine.

The second of eight children, Longfellow began attending school when he was just three years old. He was then sent to a private school at age six, where he was known for being very studious and fond of reading. He published his first poem, “The Battle of Lovell’s Pond,” in 1820.

Longfellow then entered Bowdoin College in 1822, when he was 15. While there he met and befriended fellow writer Nathaniel Hawthorne and future president Franklin Pierce. During his time there, Longfellow published nearly 40 poems. He graduated fourth in his class and delivered the student commencement address.

After graduation, Longfellow was offered the job of Professor of Modern Languages at the college. To prepare, he spent three years in Europe, visiting France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and England. During this time he learned French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German, mostly on his own. He also met Washington Irving in Madrid, who was impressed by his work and encouraged him to keep writing.

Scott Mount included.