2. O. Henry Jason Sternin Hannah Stryker Andy Corbran

3. O. Henry O.Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter. O. Henry’s stories are know for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization, and clever twist endings.

4. Early Life William Sydney Porter was born on September 11 th, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was born with the middle name “Sidney” and he changed the spelling to “Sydney” in 1898. His parents were Dr. Algernon Porter (1825-1888) and Mary Jane Virginia Swaim Porter (1833– 1865)

5. Early Life Cont’d When he was 3, his mother died from tuberculosis. He and his father moved in with their grandmother. Porter loved reading. He read everything from classics to dime novels.

6. Move to Texas Moved to Texas in March of 1882 hoping the air would relieve a cough he had developed. Met and began dating Athol Estes. She was suffering from tuberculosis, just like Porter’s mother. They were married on July 1, 1886

7. Family He had a son who died shortly after his birth in 1888 His wife gave birth to a daughter, Margaret Worth Porter in September 1889 Porter and his family moved to Houston is 1895

8. Sick Wife In 1896 he and his family moved to Honduras. He sent his wife and daughter back to live with her mother because she was ill. He planned to have her visit, but she became too sick to make the trip. He then moved back to Austin to be with his family.

9. And it all goes Downhill… Athol Estes Porter died on July 25, 1897 from tuberculosis. Porter was found guilty of embezzlement in February of 1898. He was sentenced to five years in jail. On March 25, 1898 he was imprisoned as a prisoner of the Ohio Penitentiary.

10. Release from Prison Porter was released on July 24, 1901, for good behavior after serving three years He was reunited with his daughter who was now 11 years old in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Athol’s parents moved while he was in jail.

11. Move to NYC Porter Moved to NYC in 1902 to be closer to his publishers. While there, he wrote 381 short stories. In 1907 he married Sarah Lindsey Coleman.

12. Bad Health Despite his success in writing, he drank heavily. In 1908 his health took a toll on him, and it was noticeable in his writing. Sarah left him in 1909 Porter died on June 5, 1910, of cirrhosis of the liver, complications of diabetes, and an enlarged heart.

13. After his funeral in New York City, he was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, North Carolina. His daughter died in 1927 and was buried alongside her father.

14. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry