The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: John M. Rogers to Walt Whitman, 14 June 1875
Date: June 14, 1875
Whitman Archive ID: loc.01873
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 Rogers June 14 '75.," is in the hand of Walt Whitman.
Contributors to digital file: Alex Kinnaman, Elizabeth Lorang, Kevin McMullen, Ashley Lawson, John Schwaninger, Caterina Bernardini, Marie Ernster, Paige Wilkinson, Amanda J. Axley, and Stephanie Blalock
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New Britain
June 14/751
Dear Friend & Father
your letter came to hand last week2 and I was glad to hear from you This leaves me all well hopeing it may find you the same My Wife & Boy3 are well as can be Expected You spoke about your Picture I received one with a paper that I received from there some time ago
you want me to write all the particulars about my self I am not doing much at preasant work is very dull here and the waiges is small it is imposable to everage a liveing here from the pay that I receive for work last month I earned a bout $(15.00) Dollars in the shop and this month I shall not have above ten Dollars If it were not for what I make out side I should come out short. And I expect to lose that chance for this reason they are a going to open a cooperative Store and keep it open through the day and unless I get a position in the store I shall look for someing else to do It is a socity call the Soverigns of Inustry If you see any chanc for me to get any thing to do let me know as I have given you all the news I will close
I remain Yours &c
J M Rogers
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. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman. Esq | No 431 Steven S Cor West | Camden | N Jersey. It is postmarked: New Britain | Jun 14 | Conn. [back]
2. This letter has not been located. [back]
3. As yet we have no information about these people. [back]