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

• first reaction

• religious

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 November 21, 2024. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/307

Item Type

Letter

Creator

Bemis, Judson Moss, 1833-1921

Date

April 19, 1865

Region

Border states