Full Title

Nathan D. Allen diary, 1834-1888

Description

Nathan D. Allen was born May 15, 1819, at Watkins Glen, New York, and came to St. Louis in 1837, eventually settling in Webster Groves, St. Louis County, Missouri, where he died May 9, 1903. The diary of Nathan D. Allen contains material on life in Webster Groves, with accounts of the 1849 cholera epidemic and the Civil War in St. Louis, and mentions meeting Abraham Lincoln and Henry Shaw. (Additional information on Allen family was added later by donor.)

Source

Missouri History Museum

Rights

This item is in the public domain.

Tags

Cite this Item

Allen, Nathan D., 1819-1903. "Nathan D. Allen diary, 1834-1888". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 4, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/305

Creator

Allen, Nathan D., 1819-1903

Date

April 16, 1865

Full Title

Senator Alexander Ramsey's Diary Entries, April 1865

Description

Senator Ramsey of Minnesota was in Washington D.C. when President Lincoln was assassinated. These are his diary entries from when it happened, including details as he heard them; being part of President Johnson inauguration; and his participation in the congressional escort on Lincoln's funeral train.

Transcription

April 14, 1865

At 10 ½ pm at Fords Theater the Presd. of U.S. was shot by J. Wilkes Booth of which he died. Booth escaped.

Mr. Secretary Seward and his son Frederick and the male servant of the Secretary were attacked (?) at the same time by an accomplice of B. with a knife – and is lingering with little hope of their recovery.

The President died at 7 ½ a.m.

Was present with Hon. Senators Foote of Vt. Gates of Ill. And Steward of Nevada at the inauguration of V. Pres. Johnson as Presd. about 10 in all witnessed the administration of the oath at 11 am by Chf. Justice Chase.

Cigar .30

Newspapers 5 & 16 .21

Boot(?) knife

Paid for use of above senators and myself for carriage 5.00

April 21, 1865

Left Washington as one of a congressional escort in conveying the body of Abm. Lincoln late Presid. of U.S. from Washington to Springfield. Left at 8 a.m. reached Baltimore at 10 and left at 5 PM and reached Harrisburg at 8 pm

(?) Trunk .50

at Baltimore .30

Source

Alexander Ramsey and Family Papers, Minnesota Historical Society

Rights

Use of this item for research, teaching, and private study is permitted with proper citation and attribution, as Alexander Ramsey and Family Papers, Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota Historical Society. Reproduction of this item for publication, broadcast, or commercial use requires written permission. For permission, please see this web page.

Tags

Cite this Item

Alexander Ramsey. "Senator Alexander Ramsey's Diary Entries, April 1865". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 4, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/292

Creator

Alexander Ramsey

Date

April 14, 1865

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

Cite this Item

Putnam, Sarah Gooll. "Sarah Gooll Putnam diary 7 excerpt, entries for 13-17 April 1865". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 4, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/285

Creator

Putnam, Sarah Gooll

Date

April 15, 1865

Full Title

Excerpts from the diary of Mary Jane Chadick, published in "The Alabama Historical Quarterly", Volume 9, Number 2 (Summer 1947).

Description

In her entry for April 16, 1865, Chadick discusses local reaction to the death of Lincoln, including a military order calling for the punishment of "all persons exalting the death of President Lincoln." She also mentions the attempted assassination of Secretary of State Seward. An introduction by the journal editor is included. (The original diary is located at the University of Arkansas Libraries; see "Source" field for specific location information.)

Source

Mary Jane Chadick Journal, Fordyce Family Papers (MC 1311), Box 4, Folder 4. Special Collections, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville. Finding aid for this collection is available here.

(A transcript is available at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, collection number SPR69. Catalog record for this title is available here.)

Rights

Tags

Cite this Item

Chadick, Mary Jane. "Excerpts from the diary of Mary Jane Chadick, published in "The Alabama Historical Quarterly", Volume 9, Number 2 (Summer 1947).". Remembering Lincoln. Web. Accessed May 4, 2026. https://rememberinglincoln.fords.org/node/212

Creator

Chadick, Mary Jane

Date

April 16, 1865