The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: J. Harry Schuller, Jr. to Walt Whitman, 27 October 1890
Date: October 27, 1890
Whitman Archive ID: loc.07388
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.
Related items: A line has been drawn through this autograph request. Whitman used the verso of this letter to compose a draft of a page of "America to Old-World Bards." Whitman opened the envelope in which he received this letter and used the blank inside to write a letter to the office of the Phildelphia Press. See loc.00047, and loc.03501.
Contributors to digital file: Andrew David King, Cristin Noonan, Paige Wilkinson, Stephanie Blalock, and Amanda J. Axley
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83 Worth St.
N.Y. City1
Oct. 27/90
Mr. Walt Whitman.
Phila. Penna.
Dear Sir:
If convenient will you kindly do me the honor of sending me your signature.
Very respectfully yours
J. Harry Schuller Jr.
Correspondent:
John Henry "Harry" Schuller
Jr. (1871–1937) was one of three children born to John Henry Schuller
(1844–1905) and Amelia Jane Watts (1847–1918). The family lived in
Brooklyn at 191 Keap Street from about 1890 to 1907, according to New York City
Directories. Both Schuller and his father were salesmen involed in dry goods,
and according to Trow's New York City Directory published
in 1893, 83 Worth Street in New York was the site of Coverse, Stanton, and
Cullen dry goods store (269). In 1897, Schuller married Margaret Hay
(1872–1937) and the couple had one son, Robert Duncan Schuller
(1903–1995). Schuller and his wife lived in New York until about 1930,
when they moved to Palisades Park, New Jersey, near their son. According to The Record (Hackensack, NJ), Schuller suffered a stroke
on July 7, 1937 (15), and The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
reported that he died about a week later at Robert Schuller's home (July 17,
1937, 7). He is buried beside his wife and parents in New York's Cyprus Hill
Cemetery.
Notes:
1. This letter is addressed: Mr. Walt Whitman | Camden N.J. It is postmarked: NEW YORK | OCT 27 | 630 PM | 90; PHILADELPHIA, P.A. | OCT 29 | 4 PM | 90; 1; CAMDEN, N.J. | OCT | 28 | 6 PM | REC'D; RECEIVED [illegible] | OCT | 28 | 1230 AM | 1890. The letter was originally addressed to Whitman at "Lafayette Hotel | Philadelphia | Penn" and then crossed out, thus the New York postmark from October 27 and the one cent due stamp. [back]