Classic Authors: Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs would be the first to admit that his books should not be considered great literature. Still, the creator of Tarzan entertained several decades of readers, and many of his books remain in print today. The novels’ endurance through the years qualifies them as classics. Indeed, there are few names as recognizable throughout the world as that of Tarzan.
The author was born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. His father, George Tyler Burroughs, fought in the Civil War and later became a successful businessman. Mary Burroughs, his mother, bore six boys, two of whom died in infancy, leaving Edgar the youngest child. As a youngster, Edgar attended local and private schools. He proved to be a better troublemaker than a student. Due to constant medical crises and epidemics in the state, all of which shut down schools, Edgar’s early education became quite erratic.
In 1891, an influenza epidemic swept the Chicago area. In a frantic effort to shield Edgar from disease, his parents sent him to live with two of his brothers who ran a cattle ranch in Idaho. The rough-and-tumble life on the frontier fascinated the young man, who delighted in riding the range, herding cattle and associating with all types of unsavory characters. Six months passed before the Burroughs became aware of their son’s escapades; when they found out, they shipped him off to the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake. Although he continued to live a tumultuous existence, Edgar did fairly well at the Academy, graduating in 1895.
Since Edgar had no real plans for the future, he accepted a teaching position at the Academy. His longing for adventure proved too great to remain at the post; he left after a short time to join the U.S. Army. Edgar entered the Army as a buck private with the hope of becoming an officer. He was first assigned to The Seventh United States Cavalry stationed at Fort Grant, Arizona Territory. The post proved to be dull indeed, as the soldiers spent the majority of their time digging ditches and repairing the fort. To compound his misery, Edgar learned during a routine physical that he had a heart murmur. He was discharged in early 1897.
With no prospects before him, Edgar floundered about trying to decide what to do with himself. He returned to Idaho for a time, then headed to a more conventional life in Chicago, where he worked for his father’s American Battery Company. Since he now earned a stable income, Edgar married Emma Hulbert on January 31, 1900. His quiet life ended four years later, when Edgar once again felt the pull toward adventure. He packed up his family and left for Idaho. When that fizzled, he worked at several odd jobs, including a stint as a railway policeman in Salt Lake City, Utah. When the excitement waned, the family returned to Chicago. Back in Illinois, Edgar found various positions as an accountant, a door-to-door salesman, a manager at Sears, Roebuck & Co., a peddler, and a pencil sharpener wholesaler.
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