[Notes from letter; typed in NYHS]

7 August 1920.

Dear Major Denig:

I thank you for your letter and the bundle of ancient family letters in which I find much of interest. I am making copies of parts of them and when this is done shall return them to you at your present station unless I receive other instructions from you. I ...

These Livingston letters help to complete a collection of material which I have been getting from many sources, and have considerable interest of a historical nature to those interested in the development of our country, especially of the Hudson Valley and the settlement of the middle west. The New York Public Library has quite a number of letters of the various members of the Livingston family, and I wish that you could be persuaded to deposit those of yours there where they would have good care taken of them and be available for the use of future generations. They cant last long in their present condition and are likely to be lost, I fear.

I am sending you ...

Though I may not have legal proof, I have made a long and careful study of the matter and firmly believe that H.L.. wrote the poem. The present article was written by a friend who is the New York representative of the paper, who had of course much help from me. It is all too short and only intends to set people thinking and perhaps call out new testimony. I shall of course send a copy of the paper to Cousin Jeannie also. She has given me much help and inspiration in looking up this matter. The story in the paper only hits a few of the high points in the problem. I have a great many other data which may be called out later.

...

Your loving cousin,

SOURCE: New York Historical Society, WS Thomas Papers