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and his brother Harry were the sons of Henry Whireman Fritzinger (about 1828–1881), a former sea captain

Davis, Whitman's housekeeper, who had also taken care of the sea captain and who inherited part of his

(choice persons,) one third women (Proceeds to me $869.45)—I went over, was wheeled on the stage in my

Dillingham Co: New York), he writes of Whitman: "Whitman gave a few readings under my management during

25 1882 Dear Walt: I wrote to Osgood and asked him how Leaves of Grass was selling and he rejoices my

occurred to me that your moving may make it desirable to have some extra cash just now, and so I send you my

Alma was sorely disappointed at my not bringing you home with us Sunday and hope you will very soon visit

"Ingersoll's Speech" of June 2, 1890, was written by Whitman himself and was reprinted in Good-Bye My

I will do my best to send the Dr something while I am on my vacation.

Give my love to him, and commend me to his wife and little ones. Alma and Calder are doing well.

Misses Granger" You remember their father and grandfather—celebrated Politicians—Francis Granger even in my

Dear Walt Whitman; I have received your books and MS. and send, with my hearty thanks, a New York check

My boy, ten years old, said to me this morning, "Have you got a book with a poem in it called 'O Captain

My Captain!' I want to learn it to speak in school."

its wings to you I am faithfully yours John Hay from John Hay, acknowledging & paying for MS of "Captain

, O Captain!"

Whitman papers sent July 25 I thank you heartily for my share in your Custer poem, which I have just

My address is now 506 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, and I would be very much obliged if you would spend

My dear Mr.

much stronger than when last I felt its generous touch, that token is alone enough to gladden this my

companys of our regmet is at millsprings an 5 here they will return today they 70 prisners yesterd give my

Captain Francis M.

you a few lines to let you now that I am well and have got safe to the regment and I have bin to see my

famley they are well wee are all m[o]unted an wee have got the pras of the finest regment in these pats My

Captain Francis M.

—most especially to the foreground of my own certain centre of identity: we will cross orbits.

Rider, and that in my opinion, no public object now exists which could be promoted by the proposed attempt

Y., sought to be acquired for Customs' purposes; and to state that, in my opinion, the proposed conveyance

subordinate, the chief of the secret service division—and other papers, together with a memorandum of my

earliest convenience, to return my answers thereto in writing.

Before my appointment to my present office, I was a lawyer.

In my youth, before my first entering the public service, I had not adopted a permanent occupation. 5

I was educated by my parents, and by solitary study. 6.

The law clerk's hours are similar to my own.

Captain W. H. Dietz, Kingston, Tenn.

Washington. 18 My Dear Sir, Your wishes admit of easy compliance, since Mr Browning has resolved to make

of pardon clerk and the opportunity will not be lost to add in the professional force of the office—my

trees and fruit things is very quite quiet here except a murder now and then so now I will close with my

love good by bye from you affecinate affectionate Son and Friend John M Rogers To my Dear Father write

just to let you know that I have not for goting forgotten you I am enjoying good health as well as my

week and I was glad to hear from you This leaves me all well hopeing hoping it may find you the same My

with a paper that I received from there some time ago you want me to write all the particulars about my

Connecticut I am well and so is my Family.

My health is better than it has been in some time I have a little place here and are triing trying hard

to hear that you have sick so long I have been sick with the Chills & Fever I have had wine to day my

20 of June so I am alone I am at the same employment yet I have plenty of work but the pay is small My

well before he went away he has been better cine they have been there they are near the Salt water my

wife is well the young Lady you met with me at the Cor Corner of Fulton and Cart Sts Streets that is my

Wednesday I went to Hartford to the reunion of the Vetrans Veterans and spent two days I met a good many of my

but very sorry to hear of your loss of health & bereavement this liaves leaves me and family all well my

through the winter and have not quite caught up yet I have got a little Buisness Business out side of my

Do you remember meeting a yong young Lady with me at the corner of Fulton and Court Sts once that is my

Washington and see you but as long as I know that you are well and enjoying your self I will try to content my

greatful grateful to you that you should take so much interist interest in me it makes me think of my

to be very thankful to him for our good health he is such a good Father to us so good by bye for the my

to here hear from you very much This leaves me well thank God but I have been sick most all winter my

wife is sick at presant present But the Lord has been good to me in past and I know if I put my trust

Besides numerous other "good" people as almost everybody else would call them, I have in my mind the

instance of my first wife—a girl whom I became acquainted with at a school I attended in my 15th year

in the business of could keep her really contented with out ing my principles.

When it became necessary in order to retain my home that reconstruct my family, I preferred to be content

me "one bit" , and few of my near relatives lost their lives or otherwise badly "hurt".

Meltonsville (my home office) Mr.

About that time I also, obeying an "impulse" or "law of my being" which was effectual if not "irresistible

" went for a Poet for my county.

Again this summer learned in my backwoods hermit home that Walt's Poems were in books, and that "English

In my disappointment and vexation I then said to my family "the Publisher who would publish and the Bookseller

This I suppose that "nearest friend" or yourself intended as answer to my inquiry whether you were reduced

real, and immediate , I can spare you something of the small store of capital that is helping me in my

dollar I send, to report occasionally whether my idol still lives and how he fares.

I am 13 miles from the nearest village Post-script My family Physician quite lately borrowed from me,

all my money except 2 10 ct scrips, 1 gold dollar, and 8 silver quarters, which I bought to pay my (

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

But my doubts being settled a little I can find occupation, and that will cure my sickening laziness—indeed

several new steps are clearly indicated in my farm operations.

My crop is fair—my renters did so well by high, warm land early planted—my own cotton started off in

My instinct has always been against immortality; this a state of probation &c My idea has always been

I've got my old renter the Methodist (local) preacher on Two Rivulets.

My boy is running my plow—preparing ground for our usual cotton crop—somehow there seems never to be

Do you share my astonishment?

Ba "My course runs below the soundings of plummets".

I wish to keep J.B.s book, and I sent part pay ($1) in my Feb-letter.

You'll know the name— the tenant who makes my grain on my home farm, for 6 or more years, is still engaged—he

Then as to my corn , planted on very much "spotted" ground, upon taking a "first-day loaf" with a neighbor

I think I had better stop my off the you some facts of my spiritual or "religious" experience.

well, I was beginning to walk two miles to school before the first person (the schoolmaster ) put into my

What a fall was there my countrymen!

My personal experience in childhood, then, enables me to "see through" the claim that religious ideas

the warmth of a loving heart and universal charity so beautifully expressed —that which leans towards my

ask if he got the pretty little printed articles of a Georgia Poet Fruit -Growing which I sent him in my

trouble or spells of unhappiness we are a discordant household , and will (of course) say it is not my

buildings which form so common a style of residences of the moderately "well-off" Southerners—especially of my

In the other sub-valley (my term) the big, broad mountain and gentle undulations of the valley itself

grown men The Negroes are mostly in two c lusters about two or three miles northeast and southwest of my

My mother was married at 26 and died 29, the day I was born—she of a family of ters from Virginia —her

audiences—you can that disposition to give away all you —you can travel, see more of the world, see me and my

e in my k of yet about might a insane or a drunk man.

I know you must think there has been a "level-headed" theory to my life.)

Your card of July 2 acknowledged my letter of June 27, but didn't mention my letters of June 10 or 12

I think what will please you best, will be for me to write about myself, my circumstances, my practical

My eccentricity lies in my adherence to all Nature my own nature and following the straight path of good

I had mined that if writing for a while corres pondent except my son in T exas I would wait a good long

My interest, profit and pleasure have been much distracted by fruit-rotting so generally of years.

cause you one bit of sorrow or anxiety if bad luck should befall us in any way— still, myself, children my

(My & Wife's dreadful "tempers" may wreck us any time—so care not much for us.

I would not recommend my section for a Northern man to make a fortune except in raising clover or other

Dec 1st 76 My Dear Sir: Yes, I received the letter, with the picture & printed slips last year, & meant

have a 10 acre farm here on the banks of the Hudson near Po'keepsie Poughkeepsie , I spend some of my

I, myself, represent "falsehoods," and "the sale of slaves"—4 or 5 years before my father and mother

little gradually came to writing a great deal—the sermon always in writing styles Mr Sanders only " my

Along with the parcel of papers which you sent me after getting my baby's letter I got the picture and

I have yet on hand two big bales of my cotton crop intended for spending money for the —sold other of

my crop (three more big ) on one credit to get interest.

might think, except that I have been almost insane about yours because you have so well expressed " my

(Please don't other hunter come down my dilapidated dwelling ) John Newton Johnson Ala Alabama for the

Walt Whitman— Dear friend— ui gust (of a degree) with my sur take write what may yet be of entertain

make previously plowed d for g and hoeing, (the first in months,) I went to our p a view writing to my

So as I had to pass by there way to in law's home (where my d I stop k to show to my own folks No father

I left him with a statement your work, and the wond chan ge in my estimate of it change.

What I said about my and my wrecking us, was immediately occa apparent ect and danger of a severe inistered

after f line, build dood house on top will togedder together laugh to old how out of money— we put my

bring big fiddles too, for play Dixie Den Then if noder another war tomes comes we will be taptains captains

In the summer of '80, my oldest son (of this, my second wife,) being then a well-grown, strong, and healthy

Since that young man was taking a law advantage of myself and other creditors of my dead son, after he

My kin, always recognized as of superior honesty, have shown themselves in all this matter immeasurably

My kin are much allied with those bad people by marriages.

How fortunate to leave to be content with doing nearly nothing —with My soul, for twenty purturbability

In the spring, when commencing to plow, I was feeling poorly, and my 13 year old boy to g .

me the pleasure I have had with Walt Whitman's books and to the books also—I'll (Please excuse all my

—I claim a patent right for the my old terms "champion of nature" and "good-enough man" &c &c If you

feel a little desire to "dig at the ribs" of demoralizing superstition) Why didnt didn't you notice my

t to doubt whether my friends get unmistakably true " Philosopher" JNJ John Newton Johnson Send only

, I wrote you a two-page letter (with scrap codicil ) on August 14 1875, giving you the " theory of my

have prompted me to ask you if it would be necessary for my theory to be abandoned "!

And now seeing how my laziness is growing on me so much, the question comes to me thus— will you let

me resign my commission ?

I tender you my resignation of the Lieutenant .

If you encourage me to write, and say you will sometimes write to me I will buy me some pens —one of my

(Now, if there were living near me, such people that I could take my Walt Whitman books with me, and

I dont don't want my your books worn out by borrow ers but I like to lend them as I feel like—sending

I see that I can get (or have) the means to come and pay my own way, first and last.

All stubbornly at my own expense. As I write this, I am not disposed to come there.

As I have exhausted my sheet, I forbear giving news of the situation with us, till such is called for

previously published in Leaves of Grass, "Passage to India" was Whitman's attempt to "celebrate in my

your affection or curiosity, and that there is in your present situation a tedium or sameness which my

At any rate my writing can't hurt you unless I write foolishly and lessen your pleasure in my warm appreciation

Still Walt, he assured that causes with high an Walt, I never in my life sought or would have an office

Let the war pass away, us to of fools place not quarrel with my great friend.

man—so careful in all business matters, but I have so written it, both for information and to amuse my

Whitman who has done me the greatest honor of my life.

I know the style of my letters is queer, but if you had thought them absurd insincere you would not have