The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: John M. Rogers to Walt Whitman, 11 April 1875
Date: April 11, 1875
Whitman Archive ID: loc.01871
Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Editorial note: The annotation, "John M. Rogers, New Britain Conn April, '75 (ans. & sent paper)," is in the hand of Walt Whitman.
Contributors to digital file: Alex Kinnaman, Elizabeth Lorang, Eder Jaramillo, John Schwaninger, Nima Najafi Kianfar, Caterina Bernardini, Marie Ernster, Paige Wilkinson, Amanda J. Axley, and Stephanie Blalock
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New Britain
April 11th 1875
Dear Friend and Sir
As I have just came acrost one of your letter I thought I would write you a few Lines just to let you know that I have not for goting you I am enjoying good health as well as my Family. Cince I last saw you I was Married I have been Married two years to day I have got a little boy ten months old1 on the 18 of this month and I named him after you so you see I have not for goting you How is the times in Washington it has been hard times here but I have got through the winter allright . We have had very cold weather here it has been the coldest winter I ever experance . Work is very dull here now I am not doing much at preasant how do you get alon out there. I have been away from Brooklyn Two Years next fowl I was throwed out of work in New York with about two Hundred others ten days before the Panic from the American Bank, Note, Co and did not do any thing till January 20th I came to New Britain Conn and I have been here cince I do not like it here I had rather be in the City some where how is Buisness there if you come on this way I should like to have you come and see me if you can not stay more than one day but I would like to have you make me a good visit I have got a fine boy I can till you he is as prety as a picture we all send Love I hope you will forgive me for not writing before this
from your Affectinate Friend &c.
John M Rogers
Address John M Rogers
New Brittain
Conn
Correspondent:
John (Jack) M. Rogers was a
Brooklyn driver with whom Whitman had a loving relationship. Whitman
first met him in Brooklyn on September 21, 1870. For more on Rogers and his
relationship with the poet, see Charley Shively, ed., Calamus
Lovers: Walt Whitman's Working-Class Camerados (San Francisco: Gay
Sunshine Press, 1987), 122–135.
Notes:
1. As yet we have no information about these people. [back]