Letter from Apr. 19, 1865

Jud M. Bemis to Jenny

  • Full Title

    Letter of Jud M. Bemis, St. Louis, to his sister Jenny, April 19, 1865

  • Description

    Mentions the death of President Lincoln and the local church services to remember him in St. Louis.

  • Transcription

    St. Louis, April 19th, 1865

    Dear Sister Jenny,

    Your kind letter of Feb 19th to
    hand several days since. I wrote Steph last
    Saturday the day our noble President expired -
    having been shot the night previous - what a
    horrible crime. Could any person that would -
    commit such a deed have any human blood
    in his veins? Was he born of woman or devil?
    Lincoln our noble President a second Washington -
    in the heart of the American people and -
    equal to him as a Statesmen, Patriot and
    a Christian, is no more as I write this -
    Beth our taking and [?] firing his death
    [?] this being his funeral day. Business is
    suspended. There are services in all the -
    churches doing honor to the [?] dead -
    may he rest in peace. [?] may his guardian
    spirit watch over the destinies of [?] our
    beloved country in this hour of its greatest
    period is my [?] prayer -
    I am glad to hear
    Tammy is getting along so fairly. Do you think she
    She will be as strong as though nothing had
    ever [?] her? I hope so. I believe I wrote
    Steph that Nate and Molly had lost one of
    their children. that with Nate’s financials -
    troubles must make them feel pretty badly.
    Jenny you [?] [?] it
    was as my wedding tour. [?] Jenny it was not.
    If I ever [?] a wedding tour it will
    be to California and that within two years -
    Well I guess you will say that I [?] right
    to the point - so I am - I know about all of
    your love matters. So I will tell you about all of
    mine. Well Jenny to [?]. I will say that I am
    in love for the first time. Yes for the first time -
    I introduced myself to the young lady that I have
    chosen for my wife (if I can get her) about
    three months ago - you may think it’s strange that
    I should introduce myself - when in Boston I was
    requested to call on a Boston lady stopping here when I return
    home which I agreed to do - I was acquainted
    with the gentleman she was stopping with him. He
    not being at home when I called - of course I
    [?] myself. do not believe in love at first sight
    but that or something the under me say as I left
    Miss Alice Logswell that evening that I’m thankful for -

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

  • Source

    Missouri History Museum

  • Rights

    This item is in the public domain.

  • Tags

  • Cite this Item

    Bemis, Judson Moss, 1833-1921. "Letter of Jud M. Bemis, St. Louis, to his sister Jenny, April 19, 1865". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed December 26, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/307