James Whitcomb Riley
#116538 Most Popular
About
A Nineteenth-century author of dialect works and children's poetry, he is particularly known for poems such as "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man." The former work was the inspiration for the Little Orphan Annie character of comic strip, stage play, and film fame.
Before Fame
He ended his schooling after the eighth grade. He began his career as a poet after appealing to the famous Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for literary and publishing advice.
Trivia
An Indiana native, he earned the nickname, "The Hoosier Poet," for his incorporation of local dialect into his work.
Family Life
He grew up in Greenfield, Indiana with five siblings. His father was a Democratic nominee to the Indiana House of Representatives.
Associated With
His writing style was heavily influenced by that of Edgar Allan Poe .
