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519. William Jayne to William H. Herndon.

Springfield, Ill., August 17th 1887

Dear Friend

Your letter received — I should have replied at an earlier date but delayed to give you the information asked — James H Matheney & Beverly Powell were the gentlemen who stood up at the Lincoln & Mary Todd wedding — My sister Julia M Jayne was one of the Bridesmaid — but the other lady was I cannot say — Jim Matheny does not remember. I have seen Ninian Edwards — neither he or his wife, Mrs Lincoln's sister — can remember.

Mr and Mrs Edwards, knew nothing of the wedding until the morning of the day of the wedding. Only meager preperations could be made on so — short notice & only a few friends were present — the company present was quite limited in numbers.

Mrs Lincoln at the time of her marriage was a bright, lively, plump little woman — a good talker, & capable of making herself quite attractive to young gentlemen

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— Fifteen & twenty years after marriage she became fleshy & stout in personal appearance —

The last year of her life — she was in poor health & lost flesh — when I last looked upon her upturned face when she was laid out in her coffin, I thought she looked, (save the difference of years) much as she did when I knew her so well in her girlhood days.

In her size, color & general look — she bore my memory back 35 years.

Mrs Lincoln was a woman of quick intellect & strong passions — decided in her friendships & intense in her dislikes — my own acquantance with her was pleasant & is kindly impressed on my memory

In her young days my Sister & She were very close friends — their intimacy continued until the election of my Sisters husband to the US Senate, when Mr Lincoln was also a candidate for Senator After Trumbulls election to the Senate Mrs Lincoln was no longer intimate with his wife. Disappointmt over the result of that election may have caused this.

Yours truly
W Jayne

I have no photograph of my sister at the time of the wedding.

I have a very good Small Sized photograph taken about 1860 or 1862 My Sister died in 1868 at the age of 44. If a photograph of that day would be of service to you — I could Send that one — but if Sent — it must be taken care of & returned to me without fail as it is the only one I have.

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3388, Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3935

nts

Notes.

1. Lyman Trumbull, elected U.S. senator in 1855.