Rev. John Riddle Warner was the grandfather of the poet Marianne Moore and during the Civil War, he lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. These letters are preserved as part of Marianne Moore’s family papers.

Transcript:

Wilmington, Del.

Feby. 29^th 1864

Rev. John H. Warner,

Dear Sir,

You are doubtless aware that on the 22^nd of the present month Lectures or Orations were delivered in many cities of the loyal States—the proceeds of which are to be applied to the support and education of the orphans of soldiers and sailors who have fallen in the defence of our country. The Hon. J.R. Doolittle, U.S. Senator, from Wisconsin, visited this city and addressed our people in behalf of the above object—In consequence of several other entertainments on the same evening the receipt were small, and the committee of arrangements have instructed me to ask upon what terms you will deliver in this city your lecture on “The Battle of Gettysburg”—The only suitable Hall here is engaged, until the 17^th of March—If you can come I would suggest Monday March 21^st Tuesday 22^nd or Thursday 24^th . Please answer without delay—as the com. wish to give timely notice.

The proceeds of the Lecture are of course, to be devoted to the above mentioned object.

Perhaps I ought to mention that the committee having this matter in charge was appointed at a public meeting of our citizens at which the Mayor of our city presided.

Very respectfully

Yours &c

Jas. F. Wilson

Cham. Of Com.

The other members of the Com. are Saml. Biddle, Wm. Canby, Edw. J Bellah and Dr. L.P. Bush

Address your reply to

Jas. F. Wilson, M.D.

Wilmington,

Delaware

Citation: James F. Wilson, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner. Wilmington, Del., 29 February 1864. Moore VI:6:2

Rev. John Riddle Warner was the grandfather of the poet Marianne Moore and during the Civil War, he lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This letter refers to a lecture he developed on the Battle of Gettysburg. These letters are preserved as part of Marianne Moore’s family papers.

Transcript:

Phila, Feb. 13/64

My dear Brother

Both your letters were duly rec’d—I am doing everything in my power to secure a good audience. The newspaper advertisements thus far amount to near $50, & it will take $20, or $30 yet to see it through. Yet this is the main point and the only way of getting it before the Public—The sale of Tickets will commence on Monday the 15^th at 9 o’clock at Martiens 600 Chestnut St and then only can we tell how the lecture will be patronized. I am so fully of anxiety that I can do little else but plan and work & pray about the whole affair, and yet I am very hopeful. I have no fears about the lecture being well received and yielding great satisfaction, my anxiety is about a crowded house—nothing less will satisfy me, for your sake.

I had a letter from Gov. Curtain, stating that he “regretted” that he could not be present, as he had to be in Washington the week before, & his executive duties on his return forbid his absence just at that time—I shall attend to this matter the best I can—I think I can get Gov. Pollock, Gen’l Meade is now in the city—I shall see him and invite him to be there. The request of Mr Carson will be attended to. I have secured a box for him. It is to the side of the stage and on a level with it. It contains 15 seats in all but is only rented, as a whole, for 8 persons, or as many or as few as the renter chooses to put into it. Its rent on lecture occasions the managers of Academy say, is $6 for the evening—It is the best box of the six boxes for private parties—Let me know if he will have it, as soon as possible as it can be rented to others if he should not come. I will look for you on Saturday—shall I? Write me definitely when. My guest, of course, you will be unless you prefer another place—Then I will say—thy will—The individual who made the remark about the crucifixion is a very respectable Presbyterian, but just thought that remark might be better modified I think he did not understand it, the thought you compared it with the crucifixion, which I assured him you did not—He was much pleased with the lecture & you need not feel uneasy about it. It was that you might leave the term out that I mentioned it to you. I suppose you knew who the author of that “puff” in the Presbyterian was. I see the star has it in All things are working charmingly—dont forget to strengthen your voice Don’t trust to acoustics in Academy—Trust to acoustics on your lungs & throat & mouth

Ever yours

Wm McElwer

Citation: William [McElwee?], autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner. Philadelphia, 13 February 1864. Moore VI:6:2

Henry and Mary Warner lived in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, now part of Pittsburgh. They are the great-grandparents of poet Marianne Moore.  By the 1860s they had three surviving children:  John, Henry, and Anne. Their letters to John, a Presbyterian minister living in Gettysburg, are preserved as part of Marianne Moore’s family papers.

Transcript:

Allegheny City, Wednesday, February 10—1864 1 ¾ P.M.

Dear John, your kind & welcome letter we received yesterday, the contents of which interested us very much, your parents have much reason to be thankful, and we are thankful; Yesterday I mailed an evening chronicle of February 8^th to you, and also one to Henry of same date, that you might see, an allusion to your lecture, we hope you have received it—The friend of Mrs Dean’s was a gentleman, a relative of James Marshall’s present wife—The obituary is most excellent & Mother says I must paste it somewhere so that we can have access to it, and also the preserve it, I have copied extracts from McElwes letter, that I might send to Henry, also that we may refer to it ourselves—will hold on to Mrs Eysters letter until we write again, it will save postage, you treated the Milton folks right—we have no news—we are all well, the weather is cold & dreary, with frost, & a sprinkling of snow on the ground—On last monday 8^th Inst we received a note from Henry, says he is very busy, was then writing in the Gen.’ls office—Says “I omitted to say in my last, that it would be very uncertain now when I could get home—but almost certain, that I cannot go next Spring”; we are glad to know our dear little Mary is improving in health of body and vigour of mind, may she be a blessing & a comfort to you, an ornament to society and a valuable labourer in the vineyard of her Master our Lord Jesus Christ, when time with us will be no more—Mother says if she takes the measles now, she could not take them in a better time, if she is only kept from taking cold, we will feel anxious to know about her—the last letter we sent to Hy, Mother sent him an advice to take care of his money, so that he might have a little for himself, when the war would be over, but from the tone of his letter, she thinks, he took it in high dudgeon—now she says, if he sows it along the streets, she will never give him a word of advice on that subject. John Dutch called here yesterday & made us very sad, for he says, out of the Fort they are going to the field for certain and that the company has positioned to go—we had to bear many things and will have to try and bear that too as we cannot help it—Dutch will leave this tomorrow for the Fort—we leave the event to Providence

Your affectionate father & mother, Henry & Mary Warner

Citation: Henry and Mary Warner, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner.  Allegheny City [Pittsburgh],10 February 1864. Moore VI:06:2