March 7, 1913 - Howard Roberts

Today's post marks the beginning of postcards and letters addressed to Esther in the year 1913.  Esther was 16 at the time of most of these letters.  She would turn 17 in November of that year.  Longer letters began appearing in Esther's collection during that time.  I will share the scanned images of these letters, though for the lengthier letters may only post the first page.  

*If you recognize your ancestor in these letters, please leave a comment.  I would be happy to share a copy of the full letter with you.

                        March the 7 1913

                        Ringgold Va

RL #2

My Dear girl

I will take the gretest

of pleasur in writeing

you a fue lines to let

you here me all OK

hop fine you same

wish I could see you

now. I felt sad when

I come out the train

Sunday. hated to see you leave.

Osker had his cutin[?]

Wednesday and give

us a pardy Miss Lucy

and nanny Lee was over

there. Maggie and Ellen

Hattie and you fellor

was over ther. I had a very nice time but

if you ben ther I en

joyed myself better

I am going to work

at the saw mil mond

ay. tell Ruben I think

he treted me very

nice. write to Eddie

and never wrote to

me. I don’t cere just

cut off a cut come and

take my ax and tote

it to the next cut

he did drag me rum

if I don’t get the cane__

to write before ____

meet me at the station

Sunday even

write fust as sun [soon] as

you get this I wont

to here from you real

bad.   Ringgold

care Mr Moss  RFD2

[across top]

from your

truly

frind

E.L.R.

H.L.R.

Postmarked: Ringgold, Va

Addressed: Miss Esther Richardson

                   News Ferry  Va

HLR in this letter is Howard L Roberts and not Esther's uncle Henry Lee Richardson.  Howard was a friend of Esther's and as future letters will reveal, an ardent beau! Previous cards from Howard can be seen here and here.  Lucy and Nanny Lee are the Farson sisters - both good friends of Esther's. Oskar [Oscar] is a friend as well though I do not know his surname.  Ruben is Esther's younger brother Reuben Richardson.

July 24, 1912

This is one of the earliest full length letters in Esther's collection.

The top half of the first page is missing.

[...]lines. I hope it will bee all

right. well every thing looks

loanlye [lonely] to me here to day.

thir are no plase to go.

Thir aunt [ain’t] even a chirch

in about 6 mils of here.

People don’ hardly know what

 a chirch is out here.

Thire is a base ball game

here every Sunday that is

all the amusement thir is

here.

 so you know this is a fine

place  Say how is Oscar and

Miss lucie getting on fine I guess

five Miss Lucie and Nanie Lee my best

regs they all owe me a card

Abd say when you see

Osker again you till him

I think he auto [ought to ] answer my

letter by 1913 and tell

Ruben the same.  Well I guess

you all are having a nice time

to day I wish I was in

the maberhood to day I know

I would enjoy my self.

Will five my best regs to

your mother and Farther.

and tell them I guess I

will see them again

about Xmas. Say when

was the last time you seen

George Tell him to write

me some time. he must bee

saving his money he wont

even spend two [cents] Ha Ha.

Well I guess you are getting

tired of trying to read this

bad writing so I will

close for this time.      

so answer soon and all

the news and a long letter.

it leaves me your

                        Friend

                        L. S. Hardy.

Postmarked: Partially obscured, W. VA
Addressed: Miss Esther Richardson
                  Ringgold, Va
                  Route 2

L. S. Hardy [Luther Hardy] was a friend and suitor of Esther's.  (Luther also wrote the postcard of March 31, 1912.) From the letter above, it appears that Luther was in W. VA.  for work.  Lucie and Nannie Lee [Farson] were sisters and mutual friends of Luther and Esther's. Oskar and George were likely also mutual friends. I am not sure of their surnames.  Reuben [Richardson] was Esther's younger brother.

January 11, 1912

Hello Cousin,

            How

are you standing

this rough weather.

fine I hope. This

is a nice time

for you to go to

school ha. say

tell Nannie hello

for me I just got

   back from

[written sideways at top left]

Lynchburg

Tuesday

you bet

I had

a good

time

while

I was

gone

and

real soon

bye bye

from a friend

Charlie

     Giles

Postmarked: Dry Fork, VA   [Pittsylvania County, VA]
Addressed:  Miss Esther Richardson

                     Ringgold

                               Va
Charlie Giles was the son of Columbus and Virginia Giles.  In the 1900 census the Giles family is listed on the same page as H. L. Richardson, D.T. Richardson's brother.  I am unclear of the "cousin" relationship between Charlie Giles and Esther. Nannie is likely Nannie Lee Farson - Esther's best friend and mutual friend to Charlie and Esther.