24
staying that he, Brainard, knew of his wife s
sickness, of her mother s visit, of Alf s where abouts,
with other particulars of the like sort. He added, also,
that he intended to drop down upon em yet. Mrs J thinks
Ballou is his informant. / Out to a rere-supper at a
tavern with Leslie. He told me a characteristic thing of himself.
It is his custom to send his mother, in Scotland, certain barrels
of apples. With much of glee and exultation he recounted how he had,
in purchasing apples for another person, also, made his expenses,
so that he performed his annual act of filial generosity sans
cost! Very exceedingy Scotch.
25. Wednesday. Down town. Thronged streets Evacuation
day and funeral of Gen. Worth. Overtook Thomson, Arnold &
Cahill. Pic, Nic-nax and Post Offices. Wurzbach called in the
afternoon. Evening to 31st street; returning called on
Bellew. Brought Major Piercy with me back to Bleecker
Street. Up in Haney s room. Stories of India and campaign
life and gin and water.
26. Thursday. Invited to spend Thanksgiving Day on
Randall s Island. Set off as convoy to a Miss Julia Griffin,
sister to the one who was here during the summer months. This
Miss Griffin is a very stalwart young lady about as tall as
a young lady can be without exciting desires to kidnap her in
the bosoms of the Barnum race. Withal she is good humored
and sensible. A lovely day clear and cool. A long ride
in the cars, then a brief walk and we were rowed across to
the island. To the house of our host Mr Eldredge, Warden of
the Island, where we were received by his wife, and Jenny Mrs
| Page |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Nine: page thirty-three |
| Description: | Describes a Thanksgiving visit to the Eldredge family on Randall's Island. |
| Date: | 1857-11-24 |
| Subject: | Arnold, George; Ballou, Maturin Murray; Bellew, Frank; Brainard; Cahill, Frank; Eldredge; Eldredge, Jenny; Eldredge, Mrs.; Griffin, Julia; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Haney, Jesse; Jewell, Mary (Waud); Jewell, Mrs.; Leslie, Mrs. (Scotland); Leslie, William; Piercy; Thanksgiving Day; Thomson, Mortimer (Doesticks); Waud, Alfred; Wurzbach |
| Coverage (City/State): | [New York, New York] |
| Coverage (Street): | 31st Street; Bleecker Street |
| Scan Date: | 2011-02-02 |
| Volume |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Nine |
| Description: | Includes descriptions of boardinghouse living, a picnic at Hoboken with other New York artists and journalists, his drawing and writing work in New York, attending a lecture by Lola Montez, visits to James Parton and Fanny Fern and the Edwards family, a controversy over Fitz James O'Brien's story ''The Diamond Lens,'' artist Sol Eytinge's relationship with writer Allie Vernon, the suicide of writer Henry William Herbert, antics of the New York Bohemians, the interest of people living in his boarding house in spiritualism, a visit to his friend George Bolton's farm in Canada, a visit to Niagara Falls, and a scandal involving Harbormaster Willis Patten, who lives in his boarding house. |
| Subject: | Boardinghouses; Bohemians; Farms; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Publishers and publishing; Suicide; Travel; Women |
| Coverage (City/State): | New York, New York; Rochester, New York; Elmira, New York; Paris, Ontario, Canada |
| 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-one 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. |
