Item 89a: A Letter from Walt Whitman to “My Friends,” with Envelope Addressed to J[ohn]. H. Johnston Jeweler, 1869 September 13
Item — Box: 11, Folder: 89a
Dates
- Created: 1869 September 13
Creator
- Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter
Condition Note:
Good
Measurements:
8 ⅛ in. x 5 ⅛ in.; 6 ¼ in. x 3 ½ in.
Description:
This letter dated September 13, 1869, is written by Walt Whitman and addressed simply as “My Friends.” In the letter, Whitman sends to inform the recipients about the time of his return to Washington by Wednesday, the 15th, or Thursday, the 16th.
There is an envelope in addition to the letter, addressed to a J. H Johnston, however the envelope has a different date than the letter, September 1, 1887. This implies that a different letter to J. H. Johnston, John Johnston, was misplaced and included with the letter to Whitman’s friends in Washington. Johnston was a close friend of Whitman, as verified by the Whitman Archive.
Walt Whitman was a very influential poet, journalist, and essayist, born in Long Island in 1819, who went to work in hospitals during the Civil War.
John H. Johnston was a New York City jeweler who became a close friend and confidant of Whitman during their lives. Whitman would frequent Johnston’s home while he was in New York and became acquainted with Johnston’s families. Johnston was a pivotal force in orchestrating fundraisers for Whitman’s benefit, earring Whtiman’s trust regarding financial matters.
The Walt Whitman Archive has other manuscripts from John H. Johnston addressed to Walt Whitman.
Location:
Brooklyn, New York; New York City
Transcription:
Brooklyn
September 13, 1869.
My friends:
I shall return to Washington either on Wednesday next, 15th or Thursday, 16th. Shall probably come in the train which gets in at 10:15 P.M.
Walt Whitman
{ Envelope}
J H Johnston
Jeweler
150 Bowery Cor: Broome
New York City
Creator
- Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu