Abraham Lincoln to William P. Fessenden, July 21, 1864

Executive Mansion,

Washington, July 21, 1864.

Hon. Sec. of Treasury

My dear Sir.

The bearer of this is a most estimable widow lady¹, at whose house I boarded many years ago when a member of Congress. She now is very needy; & any employment suitable to a lady could not be bestowed on a more worthy person.

Yours truly

A. LINCOLN

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¹ The “widow lady'” was Mrs. Ann G. (Thornton) Sprigg, who received an appointment as clerk in the loan branch of the Treasury Department.

SOURCE: Roy P. Basler, Editor, Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 7, p. 454