Afternoon call again at Butlers and Badeans. Latter never on hand.
I believe he s a rascal. (Butler s hard up, I think.) Evening intensely
oppressive. Stroll out, and a gossip with Laurie, and subsequently a ramble to
Peck Ship. ( I m sure Dickens got the name Pecksniff from this.)
17. Wednesday. Packing up boxes and preparing for approaching migration till
the afternoon. Then a run to Wall Street. Waited two good hours at Badean s
in the expectation of catching him, though in vain. Engraver Bridges not there.
At night, in celebration of my departure, extensive jug of Punch and harmonizing,
in Mr Harts room. He, Mapother, Johns, Royal and son Frank, Joe and self.
Health propoged by Mr Johns, and drunk with vocal accompanyments. Songs,
politic and national talk, Mynheer Van Dunk, Dutch concert, Shiver and
Shakery, (Holt in his shirt tail at the door) and wind up at 12.
18. Thursday. Last matin bath at Holts, then out, and to Sweeny s in Chat-
ham Street into Wall. Got $10 piece changed at Post Office, then after await
ing shower of rain back to Duane. Getting boxes into the hall with the assistance
of Mapother, exertion and perspiration, heating up stove and all sorts of porters work.
Down stairs, cashed up to the old woman, then out for carman. Off to 177
Canal; getting things up into tolerably spacious rear room looking out in house-blocks
standing awry and trees. Dinner, book fixing, resting, scribbling. At
about 7 Brown arriveth, dresseth and cleareth out, being bound to visit a certain
lady who ere long will become Mrs Brown, so he saith. / Walked
to Clarkson Street and an hour and half at Mr Greatbatches; very rainy night.
19. Friday. Writing all day, to Boutcher, and Phillips &
| Page |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume One: page one hundred and forty-one |
| Description: | Discusses moving to his new boarding house on Canal Street. |
| Date: | 1850-07-16 |
| Subject: | Badean; Boardinghouses; Boutcher, William; Bridges; Butler, Warren; Damoreau, Charles (Brown); Greatbatch, Joe; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Hart; Holt; Holt, Mrs.; Johns; Laurie, Dr.; Mapother, Dillon; Royal, Frank; Royal, Frank, Jr.; Ward, Annie |
| Coverage (City/State): | [New York, New York] |
| Coverage (Street): | Wall Street; Chatham Street; Duane Street; 177 Canal Street; Clarkson Street |
| Scan Date: | 2011-02-07 |
| Volume |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume One |
| Description: | Details Gunn's first year living in the United States, including his experiences with boarding house living in Jersey City and New York City, looking for work as an artist and a writer, publishing his first book ""Mose Among the Britishers"" and brief visits to Philadelphia and Boston. |
| Subject: | Boardinghouses; Books and reading; Drawing; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Publishers and publishing; Theater; Travel |
| Coverage (City/State): | New York, New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts |
| Note: | Thomas Butler Gunn was born February 15, 1826, in Banbury, England, and came to New York in 1849. During the Civil War he worked as a correspondent for the New York Tribune and the New York Evening Post. He returned to England in 1863, and died in Birmingham in April 1903. The collection includes twenty-two volumes of his diaries, including newspaper clippings, letters, photographs, sketches, and various other items inserted by Gunn. Diary entries date from July 7, 1849, to April 7, 1863, and include his experiences with the New York publishing and literary world, his descriptions of boarding houses, his travels throughout the United States, and his experiences traveling with the Federal army as a Civil War correspondent. |
| Publisher: | Missouri History Museum |
| Rights: | Copyright 2011 Missouri History Museum. |
| Source: | Page images, transcriptions, and metadata of the Thomas Butler Gunn diaries have been provided by the Missouri History Museum. |
