Caleb B. Smith and Others to Robert E. Horner, 9 December 18471
Mr R. E. Horner Esqr[Esquire] Door Keeper of House of RepsI understand that Mr Abram O. Bowen of Missouri who has been for some time Fireman of the House was the first person appointed to
that place & that he was not used as an instrument of proscription to any other person.
Mr Bowen is gentlemanly & courteous in his deportment & I believe discharges his duties
faithfully. I should be pleased to see
him retained & recommend him to your consideration.2
9th Dec. 1847Respy[Respectfully]| Caleb B Smith | ||
| Charles Hudson | ||
| A. Lincoln | ||
| W Miller | L. C. Levin | |
| John Strohm | Jno Pendleton | |
| Wm A Newell | J E Edsall | J R Ingersoll |
| D. S. Gregory | Danl P King | |
| John Van Dyke | Wm L. Dayton– |
[ endorsement
]
I take pleasure in recommendend[recommending] Mr Bowen3
B G ThibodauxJ. G.
Hampton<Page 2>
R. E. Horner Esq[Esquire]Door KeeperHo of Reps[House of Representatives]2At the time of his death in 1886, the House of Representatives described Abram O.
Bowen as a “late employee” of the House, and directed the Clerk of the House to pay
to Bowen’s legal representatives six months’ salary and up to $250 of Bowen’s funeral
expenses.
Accept Lewis C. Levin and Joseph E. Edsall, who were members of the American and Democratic parties, respectively, all the signers were members of the Whig Party.
U.S. House Journal 1886. 49th Cong., 2nd sess., 838; Kenneth C. Martis, The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989 (New York: MacMillan, 1989), 100.
Autograph Letter Signed, 2 page(s), Lincoln Manuscripts, Lilly Library, Indiana University (Bloomington, IN).