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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Lincoln, Thomas, 1812-? to Bela Lincoln [incomplete]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06052 Author/Creator: Lincoln, Thomas, 1812-? Place Written: Baltimore, Maryland Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 9 January 1831 Pagination: 4 p. : address ; Height: 24.7 cm, Width: 19.9 cm Order a Copy

Writes to his brother in Dennysville, Maine. Briefly mentions sleigh riding in the winter. Informs that he went to Washington on the railroad [Baltimore and Ohio Railroad] and describes how the trains run, "the difference between a rail-road and any other is that the carriages run on a bar of iron or rail instead of running on the ground." Includes illustrations of train tracks, a wheel, and a train crossing a bridge on page two. He is happy to hear that Bela's town is setting up a small library and he has some books to give. Another brother named Ben [Benjamin] continues the letter on page two, three and four. Talks about rifles and his love of mathematics. Also mentions the library in Dennysville and offers books. A large piece has been torn out of the upper section of pages three and four causing text loss.

Lincoln, Thomas, 1812-?
Lincoln, Bela, 1805-?
Lincoln, Benjamin, 1802-?

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