Mr. D. Johnson (Dennis Johnson)

Dear Sir,

Yours of December 11th was received some weeks ago, and language is inadequate to express my feelings on its reception, as the old saying (I felt good all over) and would have responded before now, but have been so busily engaged that I have not had the time. I therefore hope you will excuse me. Well, Dennis? I hardly know how to commence my letter. I feel very little like writing this evening, and would put it off if I could get around it, for I expect you begin to think that I have had time to answer yours before, but you must know, that a man in my persuit has his hands full. Well, I will give you a short sketch of my Christmas frolicks. I spent the time most gloriously well. I spent a week in New York. I left this City on Christmas eve with a crowd of students all about half corn but myself. We took the steamer at Walnut St. wharf, and went through in four hours and half. We had quite a merry time I assure you. Well, how could it be any other way than pleasant, for we had every thing that was calculated to make one enjoy himself. Some of the prettiest Ladies that I have seen in a long time, and besides we had a very pleasant Dance. It was also interesting to view Staton Island and Long Island, but the most interesting scene while on the waters, was Fort William. It is distressingly beautiful to behold. We arrived in New York about 1 oclock. I then spent the evening looking around, but was not any ways surprised. Still I look at some things pretty hard. The next day I visited Barnums Museum and saw many things that would interest one of the south, for instance, the Bearded Lady. You would not believe me if I was to give you a description of her masculine whiskers. I had the pleasure of feeling them. They were very soft and pliant to the sense of touch & I also saw the Giraffs, which animals was a little a head of anything that has come across my path. The male is 17 feet high, but the best made animal I have seen for a long time. I will except your little jac ass, but nothing else. Well, on the day following I went to the Crystal Palace. Well, I shall not attempt to give you a history of what I saw in that most excellent building. It is the richest scene I ever expect to see again and it makes me think of the old Proverb (What is it, that man can't execute if he has energy). I wish you could see the Palace for I know that you are fond of looking at the beautiful. I believe I will tell you what I saw. I saw the whole world and the balance of mankind. Well, so much for New York. I left there on the seventh day, and have been to several Parties since my arrival, but have quit frolicking now, and am straying like a white horse and think that I am barning fast. My health is very good at present. Tell Ma I send her my likeness in a few days. Tell Gabe I have not heard from Virginia. I don't know why they don't write. I wrote to them that I was coming in March next to spend the summer. I have had several offers to go to Texas with some you men from that State, but I think that I shall go to Grand Ma's as soon as the lectures close, which will be the tenth of March. I was highly pleased with the voters of Georgia in overcoming the Algerens and Genkin Ites, also Dabney's success. You did not say anything about your wife and child in your last letter. I suppose they were not at home. Tell Liz she must write to me for I think she has neglected me. I have received a letter from all the Family but her. I expect your son can talk by now - If so give him my best respects and tell him I will bring him a present when I come. I was glad to learn that you was in such fine spirites concerning your next crop. I trust you will do well. I want you to tell Gabe that I wish him to write to me whether or not he has paid Hicks and also Doc Lumkin. I suppose he has, though I would like to know. I received a letter from Col R. M. Young the other day, he wants to buy my town lot. I wrote to him that it was not for sale, was I right in doing so. I went out to the Girard Colledge the other day and was received with considerable hospitality to my utter surprise, though I was with a very fine young Lady. I suppose that was the cause. I was introduced to the old Professor as Doc Hunt of Georgia. They invited me to call on them at any time. I of course shall as soon as convenient. I must bring my letter to a close by requesting you to answer as soon as convenient. I expect it will puzzle you to make this letter out. Love - my love - to all of the family. Tell the Negros howdy.

Yours most respt,

D. G. Hunt

(David Granville Hunt)


Jefferson Medical College

Sidney Kimmel Medical College

Founded in 1824, Jefferson Medical College, now the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, has awarded more than 31,000 medical degrees and has more living graduates than any other private medical school in the nation.



New York Crystal Palace

New York Crystal Palace was an exhibition building constructed for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City in 1853, which was under the presidency of the mayor Jacob Aaron Westervelt. The building stood in Reservoir Square.

The New York Crystal Palace itself was destroyed by fire on October 5, 1858. When it burned, the fair of the American Institute was being held there. The fire began in a lumber room on the side adjacent to 42nd Street. Within fifteen minutes its dome fell and in twenty-five minutes the entire structure had burned to the ground. No lives were lost but the loss of property amounted to more than $350,000. This included the building, valued at $125,000, and exhibits and valuable statuary remaining from the World's Fair.[4]


Barnum's American Museum

Barnum's American Museum was located at the corner of Broadway and Ann Street in New York City, United States, from 1841 to 1865. The museum was owned by famous showman P. T. Barnum, who purchased Scudder's American Museum in 1841. The museum offered both strange and educational attractions. It burned to the ground in 1865.

At its peak, the museum was open fifteen hours a day and had as many as 15,000 visitors a day. Some 38 million customers paid the 25 cents admission to visit the museum between 1841 and 1865. The total population of the United States in 1860 was under 32 million.

In November 1864 the Confederate Army of Manhattan attempted and failed to burn down the museum, but on July 13, 1865 the American Museum burned to the ground in one of the most spectacular fires New York has ever seen. Animals at the museum were seen jumping from the burning building, only to be shot by police. Many of the animals unable to escape the blaze burned to death in their enclosures, including the two beluga whales who boiled to death in their tanks. It was allegedly during this fire that a fireman by the name of Johnny Denham killed an escaped tiger with his ax before rushing into the burning building and carrying out a 400-pound woman on his shoulders. Barnum tried to open another museum shortly after, but that also burned down in a mysterious fire in 1868. It was after this that Barnum moved on to politics and the circus industry. Barnum's American Museum was one of the most popular attractions of its time.


Girard College

Girard College was founded through the will of Stephen Girard (1750-1831) in 1833. His vision as a school for poor, white, orphaned boys was unique in educating an entirely unserved population. Girard saw a chance to educate boys who might never reach their potential and to prepare them for useful, productive lives. Girard's will eventually became famous for his restriction that students must be "poor, white, male, orphans." The school remained for needy white boys for over a century. From May 1954, with the U. S. Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, there was increasing interest in making Girard College racially integrated, as the city's public schools had long been. After an extended, bitter, 14-year civil-rights struggle (including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's speaking at Girard's front gates in August 1965), the first four black boys entered the school in September 1968. Sixteen years later, the policy of an all-male student body was also changed, and the first girls, both black and white, were admitted in 1984.