Thomas J. Sappington Tries to Woo Emma Dent

Thomas J. Sappington wrote this acrostic poem to Emma Dent at some point in the 1850s during their courtship.

NPS

Many residents of south St. Louis County are familar with the Thomas J. Sappington House Museum, located three miles northwest of White Haven. They may not know that a Sappington family member proposed marriage to Emma Dent, Julia Dent Grant's youngest sister.

Thomas Jefferson Sappington was born in 1832. He was a nephew of the Thomas J. Sappington who had his home constructed in 1808. The Sappington and Dent families were neighbors who kenw each other well in the years before the Civil War, and both families came to Missouri from Southern states.

Thomas and Emma began courting each other at some point, most likely in the 1850s. During their courtship Thomas wrote this undated acrostic poem to Emma. In an acrostic poem, the first letter of each line forms a word. Thomas spelled out "Emma Dent" in his poem:

Emblem of beauty! Sweet bud of the bower!
May thy opening bosom be wet with the shower;
May thy fragrance be lasting thy beauties abide
Around the Green wood walks of flora's gay pride

Delicate art thou, bud; and fragile thy form,
Erased are thy beauties in darkness and storm;
Nearly withered, thy leaves will a fragrance display,
Towering ever like virtue in beauties decay.

T.J. Sappington

Underneath the poem in a faint pencil marking is a question that indicates a sad turn of events: "Do you remember all I told you the night you gave back the ring?"

Emma Dent went on to marry James F. Casey on February 14, 1861. They lived in New Orleans during the Civil War, and President Grant appointed his brother-in-law to be Collector of Customs in that city in the 1870s. They raised two children while Casey served as Customs Collector for eight years. All four family members are buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Thomas J. Sappington served in the Union Army with the 2nd Missouri Regiment as a Lieutenant during the Civil War. He married and had one child with Helen Mary Leffingwell, but she died in 1868 at the age of 33. Sappington then married Julia Leggingwell and raised another three children with her. Thomas and Helen are buried at Sappington Cemetery in south St. Louis county, while Julia is buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis city. This fascinating poem was donated to the park by Emma's descendents in 1999.