The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to Abraham Paul Leech, 21 October [1841?]
Date: October 21, [1841?]
Whitman Archive ID: loc.05432
Source: Walt Whitman Papers: Correspondence; Leech, Abraham P., 1837–1844, circa 1881, undated; Walt Whitman Papers, Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection, 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, Amanda J. Axley, Marie Ernster, Erel Michaelis, Kassie Jo Baron, Jeff Hill, and Stephanie Blalock
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I write a word to you in haste. Three weeks since I returned from near Ithaca, whither I went after leaving Jamaica, I was completely disappointed in my ex[pedi]tions there.—I am now in the city, but as Mr. Meeks1 by whom I send this is in hast I can write no more than to say that in the course of a few day I intend paying a visit to you all at Jamaica.
Walter Whitman
Thursday afternoon2
Oct 21
Abm P. Leech | Jamaica L I3
Correspondent:
Abraham Paul Leech
(1815–1886) was the son of Obadiah Paul Leech (1792–1881), an
auctioneer, and his wife, Susan Holland Leech. One of three children, Leech
would go on to become a bookkeeper and friend of Walt Whitman. Leech also served
as secretary pro tem of The Jamaica Lyceum in the 1840s in Jamaica, New York. He
and his wife, Phebe Kissam Duryea Leech (1823–1885) had two children:
Abraham Duryea Leech (1851–1876) and John Leech (1860–?).
Notes:
1. As yet we have no information about this person. [back]
2. In 1841, October 21 was a Thursday. [back]
3. Whitman wrote Leech's address on the back of the final page of this letter. [back]