Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine to Stephen and Zilpah Longfellow on February 27, 1807, the second of seven children. Longfellow’s mother and father were both members of long-established Maine families. His maternal grandfather was a minor hero of the Revolution who purchased a major estate by the end of the war and in the following years established himself as a successful merchant in Portland. On his father’s side, Longfellow was a descendant of generations of respectable citizens who were generally Harvard-educated and served with success in the military, farming, law, or local government; they also helped found Bowdoin College.
Longfellow attended Bowdoin College, where he cultivated his love for literature and writing (his classmates included Nathaniel
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Citation: Willis, Lloyd. "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 June 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2783, accessed 24 November 2024.]
