The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to Thomas Jefferson Whitman, 15 September [1886]
Date: September 15, 1886
Whitman Archive ID: nwu.00004
Source: Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 4:50–51. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Contributors to digital file: Stefan Schöberlein and Kyle Barton
Camden1
Sept 15 noon
Lou got home last night all safe2—She & George came here ab't 10 last night—She told me many little particulars I was glad to hear, though all is so sad—Nothing special in my affairs—I am writing some—have just sent off a piece to Harpers3—(they may take it, & may not)—I have written a piece ab't "War Hospitals" for the Century—which they have taken & paid me for—(Both mag's pay handsomely)—I send you & Jess a letter just rec'd from Hannah—We have had several inquiries here about dear Hattie's death—two ladies call'd yesterday who had seen Hattie here at Lou's. Love to you, dear brother—Love to you, Jessie dear—
Walt Whitman
Correspondent:
Thomas Jefferson Whitman
(1833–1890), known as "Jeff," was Walt Whitman's favorite brother. As a
civil engineer, Jeff eventually became Superintendent of Water Works in St.
Louis and a nationally recognized figure. For more on Jeff, see Randall Waldron,
"Whitman, Thomas Jefferson (1833–1890)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes:
1. This letter is addressed: Thos: J Whitman | 2437 2d Carondelet | Avenue | St Louis | Missouri. It is postmarked: Camden | Sep | 15 | 5 30 PM | N.J. [back]
2. Louisa ("Lou") Whitman (Whitman's brother George's wife) had traveled to St. Louis to help Whitman's brother Jeff and his daughter Jessie after the death of Jeff's other daughter Mannahatta ("Hattie"). [back]
3. See the footnote to Whitman's letter to Thomas Jefferson and Jessie Louisa Whitman, September 11, 1886. [back]