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    Robert C. Caldwell, Washington in 1834: letter of Robert C. Caldwell

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    [p. 271]

    Reprinted from The American Historical Review, Vol. XXVII, No. 2, Jan , 1922

    Washington in 1834; Letter of Robert C. Caldwell

    The following letter, presenting an entertaining picture of Washington in 1834 and some interesting glimpses of President Jackson, was written by Robert C. Caldwell to his father, Colonel Samuel Caldwell, of Franklin, Ohio. For the opportunity to print it we are indebted to Professor George M. Whicher, of Hunter College, New York City, whose great-grandmother was in 1834 the wife of Colonel Caldwell. This lady, born Margaret Patterson, was thrice married. Her first husband was Samuel Venable, of Lexington, Kentucky. This letter passed at her death to her daughter by this first marriage, Mrs. Stephen Whicher (Mary Venable), from whom it descended to Professor Whicher.

    The letter is written on a double sheet of paper, 14 by 17 inches in size; the four pages are entirely filled save the small space which Was left to be the front and back of the folded letter when ready for mail. There is no sign of direction or postmark, or indication of the postage, from which it may be inferred that the letter was transmitted by some friend.

    Colonel Samuel Caldwell, a proprietor in Franklin before 1810, and holder of various offices in its early days, was a state senator of Ohio in 1824, 1825, 1828, and 1829, and at the time when the letter was written was an associate judge of the court of common pleas for Warren County.1 Robert C. Caldwell was appointed second lieutenant in the Marine Corps October 17, 1834, first lieutenant March 3, 1845, and died November 13, 1852.

    1

    Washington City 29th Dec. 1834

    Dear Father,

    Probably you think long by this time to receive a letter from me and as I have an abundance of leisure whenever I choose to curtail my curiosity and confine myself to my room, I have concluded to write you and try if I can fill, in such measure as to be interesting to you, this mammoth sheet. Well I have seen a great many new things and great men, since I came here, but before I proceed to tell you about them you must first hear how I arrived here and when.--I wrote you last as I was about to leave Cin.2 on Wednesday the 3rd inst. Arrived safely 2

    1 1 History of Warren County, Ohio (Chicago, 1882), pp. 423, 424, 427, 519-521, 550.

    2 2 Cincinnati.




    This text is based on the following book(s):
    30000742. General Collections, Library of Congress. Copyright status not determined; refer to accompanying matter.

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