Profile of the Day: Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edmond Rice Burroughs

Remember the story of Tarzan? On this day in 1875, author Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Burroughs was the fourth son of George Tyler Burroughs and Mary Evaline Zieger. His father was a businessman and Civil War veteran. He worked a number of different jobs throughout his lifetime, from a pencil sharpener wholesaler to war correspondent during World War II.

In 1912, Burroughs published the first of his Tarzan series, Tarzan of the Apes. The character of Tarzan was an instant hit and became a cultural phenomenon with appearances in comic strips, movies and merchandise.

Did you know the city of Tarzana, California can thank Burroughs for its name? Burroughs had purchased a large ranch north of Los Angeles, which he named “Tarzana.” The community that sprang up around it chose to adopt it as its formal name in 1927.

Edgar Rice Burroughs is connected to over 90 million people in Geni’s World Family Tree. How are you related?
 

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Image: Library of Congress