Feinberg/Whitman
Box 15 Folder 14
General Correspondence
Ryder, Auson, Jr. 
Aug. 1865 - Sept. 1868[*Herkimer
co
Cedar Lake
anson Ryder J
(answered Aug. 16. '65)*]
Mr, Walt. Whitman
Washington
DC,

[*anson Ryder
Aug 25*]
[*Cedar Lake N.Y. aug 25*]
Walt Whitman
Attorney General's Office
Washington D. C.to Douglass Hospl  I received
a letter each from Frayce and
Dr Smith, Are you personally
or were you rather acquainted with
Henry Thoreau I saw in some
extracts of Thoreaus' letters a
a few days since a sort of
discription of yourself and
so I supposed you must
have met him; I sent the
paper to Frazer several days
ago. I have not been
far enough away from
home since I came here
to get any photographs but
expect to in a few weeks
when I shall not forget
to whom I am indebted for
like favor, Remember me with
kindness to any whom you may
meet that remembers me, And please [wt] write me
how Hiram is getting along for
I feel much interested in his welfare

Cedar Lake  Aug 25th 1865
My Dear Uncle W
Your very Kind
letter of the 16th was
duly received and apprecia-
ted, to the best of my ability
We had a grand reception
at our place last week
for this town and two adjoining
ones which was quite a
success for a country place
like this  I presume there
can be more costly ones [yet?]
up in New York and other
cities and perhaps better
music and speaking
but for a right - down
good place for a person
to enjoy themselves and
get enough to eat and of

[*Please excuse all errors and mistakes of your most affectionately,
Anson Ryder
Jrthat which is eatable give 
me Cedar Lake or any other 
Lake in preference to any 
city. One of our lady neighbors 
who is fond of a good joke 
cooked a coon that was 
caught trespassing in a corn 
field it looked very nicely 
I tell you and was soon 
pretty well demolished before 
anyone knew what it was 
after a while someone asked 
what kind of meat it was 
when the lady very innocently 
told them it was nothing 
but a coon when some of 
the more fastidious ones 
made up awful faces as 
though they had a very 
bad feeling at the stomach 
but I did not believe it 
went below the chin.
I have shown your Pho


only in the family and they 
all think it must belong 
to a kind old man 
but when I tell them the 
age of the original (why 
it does not seem possible 
but are glad that I found 
one friend in hospital,
I am gaining strength 
very fast. can walk a 
little with one crutch and 
cane. Mr Wood is with me 
yet and improving in health 
and flesh. I do not know 
whether there are any characters 
among my neighbors that 
would interest you particular 
or not they are like most 
of our country people kindly 
and well meaning. I see 
by the paper that Armory 
Square is discontinued and 
the patients are removedCedar Lake Aug.  9

Friend W,

I feel us though
I ought to apologize to 
you for leaving Washington
in the manner 
I did but I had
so very little time
to spare I I did
not have time to say
good by to anybody
scarcely but do not
think for a moment
that I forgot you 
then or now

Wood is with [unreadable]
here at my old home
says it is not very 
natural here does not 
seem at all like an
hospital  The weather
here is splendid so
cool and nice and 
real pure country air
I wish you could see
us and be with us
for a time I think 
it would do you good
And now I must
ask you about that
photograph you promised
me so long ago I have
never [have] seen it yet
please do not let me have
occasion to doubt your word
though I think you 
agreed to write me if I 
wrote you if you  cannot
(but I hope you can) please let
Frazse have one for me and he will
send it for I have written him
Please excuse haste, Yours with 
much love,
Anson Ryder Jun[*Anson Rider*]
[*Bowling Green Ky Feb. 24, "67*]
[*ans. March 15, '67*]

[*BO?LING GR? 26 KY*]

Mr Walt Whitman
Attorney Generals Office
Washington D C


[*see notes Nov 29 1888*]
 3 UNITED STATES 3 THREE CENTS
Mr. Walt Whitman
Washington
D. C.[*If you direct to this place
I shall get your answer even if
I am not here.  Anson*]

It's Sunday evening I'm
sitting alone, "sad & lonely"
no dog to love no one to
talk with time hangs
heavy and yet they say
time flies [?] !  Ah it 
may be I have seen the
times when minutes were
hours & hours days but
that is going yes its near
And years since those scenes
never [?] and may God
in his mercy deliver us from
the [autso?] of war where so many
meet their death or are
[the?] back upon the world
a [? ?] cripple a
[?] to themselves and
[?] benefit to country or
[?] I remain affectionately
[?] Anson Rider Junior

Bowling Green Febry 24th
1887
My Dear Friend
I was thinking to
day whether have
answered your last
letter or not but I am
going to write you any
how   The most news
at present is about the
high water of which we
have plenty & to spare
even to the big folks at
Washington if they need
any. The weather is warm
and spring is finely advanced
people are plowing &
wheat looks fine
although I am not
interested in agriculture
I am glad to see thingsthriving. I have been
engaged in the oil
business the past year
but I find it a losing
[game?] and now I am
out of employment
and floating around
& its hard to tell when
I shall turn up &
whether it will be up side
down or right side up
If I had known in time
I might possibly have got
the nomination for Governor
of this state but ex Gov.
Helm has beat me. That
you know would have
been better than lying around
idle now I must look
for something else for a
living. I might steal if
I knew enough but I
have not even the first

rudiments of the profession
and then it leads to
unpleasant things when
one gets caught at it
I think of going to
Nashville this week and
can see if I can get work
there something from blacking
boots down to sweeping
crossings I think if Gov
Brownlow knew me he would
not hesitate to give me a
good berth in Tennessee
but being of a modest
disposition of course I
cannot call his attention
to my many merits

Now you must not think
I am egotistical at all
for I am not I am only
telling you what most
every one knows as true
anything [about me?]Cedar Lake Oct 22nd
1865

My Dear Friend

Tis a long time since I have had the
pleasure of hearing from you 
so I fear you did not
receive the letter I sent an
receipt of your photographs
quite a good while ago so I will
write a short letter again
hoping better luck this time
I am getting around quite
lively on just a single cane
and my health is good I am quite
strong but not very fleshy
as you will observe by the 
enclosed pht, which you may 
think was a long time coming
I am getting read to day
for a short forray out to 
Livingston Co.  to visit soe
relatives and friends so you must
be so kind as to excuse this short noteI have not heard from Frazer
in a number of weeks but hope
you have seen him much oftener
The las time he wrote he was 
a little better but thought he 
would be able to leave hospital
at the expiration of 1885, but I 
most earnestly hope he will not
be obliged to remain so long
Tis very pleasant to day but 
pretty cold.  I write this not
knowing but you may have left
the place you were but shall
sue the envelope which you sent 
me I would like much to see 
you again and have a good
visit once more and I 
pry that we meet sometime 
I received a letter from Wood a few
days since he's visiting Tommy
(No. 6) he was quite well and enjoying 
himself well said Tommy had a
pleasant home and they were having 
a good time generally.  Now good bye
my good friend and may Heaven Keep you
safe from harm
Anson Ryder Jr

I attend to such matters
I wish I knew your opinion
you might convince me which
I know is right -- of course my
sympathies are with the
Republican Party out of any
party [can?] [be?] more corrupt then
[?] party [?] at [?] we may
have a few honest men
left but not enough to
leaven the whole  I have
not been enjoying as good health
as I might wish as I contracted
[this fever?] & ague down
in [July?] & have not got rid of
it entirely yet. Please accept
this letter for what it is worth
& do not delay as I have done
with much love  I will say
good bye  [Anson?] Rider
[Dina?] [?ton] Co
[?] y

[Dana?]  Sept, 26 1868
Dear Friend & companion
     [Since?] [?] [?]
changed my place of [living?]
back to my [?] [started?] [farming?]
left Kentucky the first of 
July & am now living with
my brother again after an
absence of 2 1/2 years
& his is one of the most
delightful portions of the
world that it has been
my fortune to see [strictly?]
an agricultural region. [The?]
people are all engaged in
grain growing of which wheat
barley & corn are the principal
kinds   peaches grapes [?]
apples & many others [grow very?]finely. My fathers farm is just
one mile from the village of
Lima which contains about (1500)
fifteen hundred inhabitants and
a college & seminary where 300
students are taught all they
need to know & a great deal
that they might not ever to
know or [?] is different from
some schools that I know
of Lima is the prettiest
village that I ever saw
without exception containing
a great many neat residences
and the surroundings are
better than any other place
I ever saw  more particularly
in the southern States where
the colored element composes
a good per cent of the population
I have been enjoying
myself well since [?]

home among my [friends?]
and I am looking forward
to a splendid winter I only
wish I could see you pretty
often & I should like it so
much better.  My [?] heard
me say so much about you that
they feel well acquainted with
you & wish you would extend
your visits to your Mother
far enough to include us
We are having some political
talk here some reasonable agree
a great deal may not so much
so (my opinion) I do not think
I am [? ? ?] this fall & if I
was I should [to] not exercise it
I am almost a neutral, I
think the questions to be settled
by the political parties are too
big for me & I propose [?]
[? ?] informed [?]matters [?]
you  [?]
is  [?]
are  [?]
living [?]
civilly [?]
[N?] [?] gladly
[alt?] [?] me
party [?]
like [?]
me & [?] of
for [?] cannot
he now  [?] so 
here [?] you 
longer [?] Run so prompt
home [?] letters
army [?] 
to see [?]  arrived
enjoyed [?]  1885
Men [?] papers
the [?]  none is
is it.  [?]  that ofthe  [fr?] or for
if you [?] written
it in  [?]fastidious
but not [?] appreciate
you [?]  cannot
[ch?] [?] that
[aq?] [?] friend
you [?]  friend
you [had?] [?] one who 
They [?] friendship 
I  [?]  [??ects] 
[propinquity?] [?] talents
and [?] let
to see it myself I [?] who
to the [?book stores] [?] with
inquired for it but [?] who 
of them [?] for
never [?] honorable
me " [?] parchment
in the [?] as well
think [?] but you
to read [?] giving
that [?] to