USC professor to present 'Edgar Allan Poe in SC' at genealogy meeting

The next membership meeting of Sumter County Genealogical Society will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, beginning at 7 p.m. in the fellowship hall of Swan Lake Presbyterian Church at 912 Haynsworth St. Refreshments will be served after the speaker's presentation.

The speaker will be Pat McNeely. The topic will be her book "Edgar Allan Poe in South Carolina." Edgar Allan Poe, the iconic writer, was in the military and stationed at Fort Moultrie at one point. Join the society for this exciting program about Poe's groundbreaking genre with the first fictional detective and learn more about the man who transformed the horror story genre through suspense and terror. Poe created two new genres of writing that survive to this day and influenced generations of writers and directors who created their own masterpiece works. Learn who some of the future great literary influences were along with other surprises she discovered about Poe during her research.

This program is co-sponsored by South Carolina Humanities Council.

The society meets monthly from September through May. Visitors are welcome to attend. Admission is free to the public. Interested persons can join the society. Membership includes four newsletters during the year and free use of Sumter County Genealogical Society Research Center. Annual dues are $30 for an individual membership and $35 for a family. Readers can call the society's research center for additional information at (803) 774-3901.