The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

This folder contains two undated letters by William Leslie Edison (1878-1937). One letter, addressed to Thomas Edison, was probably written around the time of William's twenty-first birthday. Announcing his intention to "paddle my own canoe" and "get along without your assistance," William informs his father that "I bear you no ill will and trust that your other children can learn to love you more than we have done." William adds that "I could never love, even like my step-mother and probably never will. I look upon her as the one who ruined our happiness and future." The other letter, addressed to his half-sister Madeleine and half-brother Charles, notes that "it is nearly two years since I have seen you and you both must be quite large now. . . . Your father thinks I have been a very bad boy and he don't like me any more." Images of these two letters, along with additional letters written by William L. Edison during the period 1899-1910, can be found in the Charles Edison Fund Collection.