William H. Duckett to Walt Whitman, 20 December [1889]

About This Item

Title: William H. Duckett to Walt Whitman, 20 December [1889]
Date: December 20, [1889]
Creator(s): William H, Duckett | William H. Duckett
Whitman Archive ID: loc.02004
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.
Contributors to digital file: Cristin Noonan Brandon James O'Neil Andrew David King Stephanie Blalock
Cite this page: William H, Duckett and William H. Duckett. "William H. Duckett to Walt Whitman, 20 December [1889]." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 09 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: loc.02004.xml (TEI)

loc.02004.001_large.jpg C. T. 470. PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY. From Philada Received | M 12/20 18 Operator. To Dear Friend Walt.

Walt Can you let me have ten or Fifteen Dollars have been having pretty hard luck of late and find myself Broke My board is due Monday & have about 2 Dollars to do it with Now will you kindly let me have what you can, You can loc.02004.002_large.jpg loc.02004.003_large.jpg give to bearer & he will bring to me Will return you both amounts after 1st of year, How is your health hope as well as your Spirits generally used to be I was over to see you some days since but you was unable to see We would like to see you very much loc.02004.004_large.jpg loc.02004.005_large.jpg but you understand the Circumstances well I will say So long

affectionately Yours Wm H Duckett

Do what you can as I am in a bad way

The Bearer is Geo Anderson1 one of Our Messengers Boys here

Bill

loc.02004.006_large.jpg Dec: 20 '89 Bro't to me by lad George Anderson from Bill Duckett,—Sent back word I was quite sick & hard up—(no money) W W

Correspondent:
William H. Duckett (1869–1902?) was Whitman's young Camden friend, who drove the poet's horse and buggy, lived for a while in Whitman's house, and accompanied Whitman on numerous trips. Duckett later established a career in the telegraphy industry; he lived and worked in Ohio and North Carolina before passing away in his native Philadelphia as a result of alcoholism in about 1902. For more information on Duckett, see Stephanie M. Blalock and Brandon James O'Neil, "'I am more interested than you know, Bill,': The Life and Times of William Henry Duckett, Jr.," Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 39.2-3 (2022), 89–117.

Notes

1. As yet we have no information about this person. [back]