The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Lavinia F. Whitman to Walt Whitman, 20 December [1891]
Date: December 20, [1891]
Whitman Archive ID: loc.04858
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: Ethan Heusser, Brandon James O'Neil, Breanna Himschoot, and Stephanie Blalock
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Walt Whitman1
My dear friend, much do I regret to hear of your increased illness—yet, let us hope for the best—we cannot think of loosing you—
With great regard
Lavinia F. Whitman
2337 N. 18th—
Dec. 20th—
Correspondent:
Lavinia Fanning Watson Whitman
(1818–1900) was the eldest daughter of John Fanning Watson—author of
Annals of Philadelphia (1830) and a well known
historian of Philadelphia and New York City—and his wife Phebe Barron
Crowell. In 1846, Lavinia became the first woman to sponsor a United States Navy
ship when she christened the sloop-of-war, the USS
Germantown in Philadelphia. She married Harrison Gray Otis Whitman, a
son of Chief Justice Ezekial Whitman of Maine.
Notes:
1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman Esq | Camden | N.J. It is postmarked: Philade[lphia, P.A.] | Dec 21 | 7PM | [91] | Ca[mden, N.J.] | DEC22 | 6 AM | 91 | Rec'd. [back]