Sarah Gooll Putnam Diary

Full Title

Sarah Gooll Putnam diary 7 excerpt, entries for 13-17 April 1865

Description

Sarah Gooll Putnam, a teenager (who was 14 years old in during the spring 1865 and lived primarily in Boston, Massachusetts), describes the shock and sadness of hearing about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Her diaries (started in 1860, when she was 9, and continued until close to the time of her death at age 61 in 1912) feature many illustrations. The entry for 15 April 1865 includes a minimalist sketch of a face with a shocked expression.

Transcription

31 April
Glee. The little dog was taken away by John
I read [?] [?], and check home
Lousia came in in the morning and so did
Mr. Greenrough and Mr. Baron.

13 Thurs. I packed up some of my things and
Stayed to alice Russels to drink tea, where I
Stayed awfully late

14 Frid. Packing went on at a great rate. Just
Think, we shall be out of this house Monday
Or Tuesday. I went to Aunt Lousia’s to tea
Grandma Upham came to our house for her’s.

15th Sat. Now guess my feelings when
Coming down to breakfast as Mother’s saying
“The President is killed!” I stood so for
A few minutes without speak -
Ing. I can not realize it yet-
Poor, dear, old, abe, [?] of
Will kill how his death came
On without any sentiment for that over
No good. Last night he went with Mrs.
Lincoln to see “Our American Cousin” [?]
([?] - Washington) During one of the acts
A justice shot was heard and a shriek
From Mrs. Lincoln and before people
Could collect their [?] a man flourishing

A knife strung from the boy by President
Lincoln, dashed onto the stage, said “[?] [?]
[?]” and rushed off. Now President
L is dead, dear old kind Abe. An attempts
Was made on Mr. Seward’s life too, who was
Sick in his bed. An assasin came into the room
Under pretense of somebody sent from a
doctor or something like that. He almost
Succeeding in assasinating both Mr. Seward
and his son who was in the same room
With his father. Everybody’s house almost
Is just in mourning for Abraham Lincoln
The houses are drafted with black and white
16th Sun. The sermon was almost entirely about
The [?] assassination.

17th Mon. Mother cleaned out the house, and
I went to Aunt Louisa’s to tea. Many and
[?] went to Grandma Upham’s.

18th Tues. There was an question at our house
It was rather mournful coming home from
School to see loads of furniture going from
Our house that we never shall sleep in
Again! Bridget, Hannah and many [?]
Walked round this house [?] the [?] with
Robin in Bridget’s [?] She bought the kitchen

[Transcription by: Megan Klein, Rachel Engl's class, Lehigh University]

Source

Massachusetts Historical Society, Ms. N-758

Rights

Use of this item for research, teaching, and private study is permitted with proper citation and attribution, as: From the Collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Reproduction of this item for publication, broadcast, or commercial use requires written permission. For permission, please see this web page.

Tags

• child

• woman

• first reaction

• mourning

Cite this Item

Putnam, Sarah Gooll. "Sarah Gooll Putnam diary 7 excerpt, entries for 13-17 April 1865". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/285

Item Type

Diary

Creator

Putnam, Sarah Gooll

Date

April 15, 1865

Region

Union states