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Abraham Simpson to Walt Whitman, 20 October 1865

About This Item

  • Title: Abraham Simpson to Walt Whitman, 20 October 1865
  • Date: October 20, 1865
  • Creator(s): Abraham Simpson
  • Whitman Archive ID: loc.03777
  • 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: Alex Kinnaman Jonathan Y. Cheng Elizabeth Lorang Nima Najafi Kianfar Noelle Bates Paige Wilkinson Stephanie Blalock
  • Cite this page: Simpson, Abraham. "Abraham Simpson to Walt Whitman, 20 October 1865." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 11 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: loc.03777.xml (TEI)
 loc.03777.001_large.jpg Oct 20th 1865

Received from Walt Whitman the sum of Fifty dollars on a/c​ of binding 300 books

$50 00

Abr Simpson  loc.03777.002_large.jpg Bradstreet Receipt Oct.

Correspondent:
Abraham Simpson, while working for J. M. Bradstreet & Son, had supervised the binding of Drum-Taps (see Whitman's May 2, 1865, letter to Peter Eckler). Simpson wrote on May 10, 1867, that he was going into business for himself and was interested in publishing Whitman's next book: "Hearing you are writing another book [I] would like to print and publish it for you and will give you better advantages than any other publishing house . . . One of my reasons for securing your friendship is my appreciation for you as a man, well knowing your life has been devoted to help along those most in need of your assistance." On May 31, 1867, Simpson informed Whitman that "we have established a Ptng & Publishing House." But, in his July 3, 1867, letter, he advised Whitman that after consultation "with several eminent literary men . . . though we are favorably impressed, . . . we deem it injudicious to commit ourselves to its publication at the present time."

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