Many on this list probably disagree, but nativity has never struck me as the most pertinent criterion in assessing these issues. Poe was born in Massachusetts, but he spent much of his childhood in Richmond and returned to the city to edit for a time the Southern Literary Messenger. Virginia clearly has as much right to claim him as any other state and more in my opinion than it does, say, Zachary Taylor, who took his first breath here but grew up in Kentucky and later lived in Louisiana, or Wilson, who only spent about five or so years in Virginia. The more relevant question for this discussion might be, not where someone was born, but how he or she is/was remembered? Bland Whitley LVA Unfortunately for us Virginians, Edgar Allan Poe is not a native to our state. Worth considering perhaps for noteworthy 19th century Virginians might be the Virginia Presidents from that era including Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler, and Taylor. They, along with George Washington (18th) and Woodrow Wilson (20th) combine to make Virginia the Mother of Presidents. Gov. Mark Warner referred to this recently on C-SPAN when he said it is about time to add another Virginian to that list. He said he knows that because Sen. George Allen told him so! ATW To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html