March 4, 1904

[envelope, 2-cent stamp]
           Miss Nursie Whaley,
                     Medart,Wakulla Co.,                   Fla.

[postmark]ASHMORE MAR 4  1904 FLA.

[back of envelope postmarks] CRAWFORDVILLE MAR 4  1904 FLA.

MEDART
MAR 5  1904
FLA.

[body of letter, page 1]

                             Thursday Eve.
My Dearest Little Girl:
                                     Your ever
welcome letter received Wed-
nesday morning, and I will 
try to answer it this evening,
but if I fail to make this at
all interesting dont blame 
me too much for I am sick
again. I have a severe cold
which has gone almost into 
pneumonia. I cant talk above
a whisper hardly and my eyes
are swollen badly. If I dont
get better, when my brothers come
home to morrow I am going to 
Tallahassee to a doctor. I think
that I will be all right in a
day or two though. I hope so any
way. Mama has been teasing
me some. She says I will have
to stay home Sundays if it is
going to make me sick. I told
her that had nothing to do with
it. Nursie I have read your last
letter so many times until I al-
most know every word of it. If
I could only think that you
mean what you say. I am almost
afraid to trust the hopes of my life
with you. From the way you treat
me sometimes I think you have a

[page 2]

                2
tendency to laugh at me to my
back. Your sister has I know,and
I believe you join her. I wish
that I could get that idea out
of my head. If I could think you
really loved me like I do you.
   Perhaps I am letting what people
tell me have some thing
to do with this. They tell me
you are one of the most heartless
"flirts" in the country, and care
not whose heart is broken just
so you have a big time, but I
dont believe this part of it, for
I dont see why you should lead
me on and on, and at last
"shake" me for better game. You
have no idea how many are trying
to get me to give you up. But my
love I will never give you up, un-
less it is your wish. I love you
better than all else besides on
earth and I dont care who knows
it. I am keeping my love no se-
cret, although I am not telling
that we are engaged, for I dont
think that you would like for
people to know that. At least I
gave you permission to tell it
if you wished, and I find you have
kept it close. I am afraid you
are ashamed to own it to other
people. Anyway I am not going

[page 3]

                      3
to tell it for your sake, I am
afraid you did not think serious-
ly when you told me you would
be my wife. Have you ever wished
to change your answer? Oh! Nursie
think well over this, for remem-
ber it is not for just a day, but
for a life time. If you really love
me you would never regret marry-
ing me, that is if my love would
count anything, for it is all yours.
   If I were sure of your love I would
ask your Papa and Mama for you,
but I want to be sure that you
love me better than any other
before I do that. Maybe you dont
want me to ask them for you.
Do you?  Be honest with your an-
swer now. When husband and wife
love each other they are the hap-
piest people on earth, but when
they dont - well you have had
a striking example in your
immediate vicinity recently.
   Think what your life would be
were you to tire of me after we
were married. I know that I
would never tire of you. You
will be my love while life lasts.
   If we were break up I would
leave this country. I could not
stay near you, it would kill me.
   But we will never break up

[page 4]

                   4
unless you do it, either by telling
me, or by doing something you
know I wouldnt like, which would
show that you were tired of me.
   A drummer came around one
day this week having pictures en-
larged, and he asked me if I had
a "little sweetheart". I told him
I did, and he says, well give
me her picture and I will have
you one enlarged of her free.
   He seemed surprised when I
told him I didnt have a picture
of her. Nursie I wish I had
one of your pictures. But
never mind I will come to see
my darling, which is much better.
   You dont want to be with me
half as bad as I do you sweetheart.
   I will be nearly crazy to see you
by Sunday. I may see you then for
I dont see how I can wait two weeks,
it is such a long, long time when I
would like to be with you every day.
   There is many nights I cant
sleep for thinking of you my love.
   Let Will White rave. He cant harm
either of us if you wont listen to
his talk. I know I dont. If you
see Susie tell her I saw Norman
Tuesday. He says Susie is one of
the prettiest girls he ever saw. He
tried to tease me about you. Wanted

[page 5]

                        5
to know when I had heard from
you. I told him I was with you
Sunday, and he didnt have
much more to say. I guess I
had better stop for I know you
are getting tired of such a long
letter. Nursie when I see you
maybe I will tell you why I
wrote the first part of this letter
like I did. I didnt but get
started on this letter this evening
when I crowd of our negroes came
in from the camp and kept me
busy until night. Now it is get-
ting late and I must go to house.
   please write soon sweetheart and
a long letter. If I am well I
may see you Sunday (I dont expect
you want to see me) and if not I
will see you soon. Good night
darling, my own love,
                    Ever your,
                                       John

[in pencil]
Friday Morning:
                             I am feeling
so much better to-day, although the
weather is disagreeable. Hope you
are well my sweetheart.  J.


NEXT LETTER

February 17, 1904

East of Tallahassee, the 1890 Monticello Opera House is pretty far for them to go for a lecture, so I wonder which opera house he is referring to. The Col. Bryan may be William Jennings Bryan of the Democratic Party, famous for multiple runs for the presidency and his battle against Darwin's theory of evolution (in particular the 1925 Scopes trial). Bryan was one of the popular speakers on the Chautauqua lecture circuit at the time, speaking on temperance, Christian morality, and ideals and public service. I speculate that it is this last topic John Henry heard since he speaks of ideals in this letter.

__________________________________________________________

[envelope, two-cent stamp]

          Miss Nursie Whaley,
                               Medart,
Wakulla Co.,                      Fla.

[postmark]
ASHMORE
FEB 17  1904
FLA.

[back of envelope postmarks]
CRAWFORDVILLE
FEB 17  1904
FLA.

MEDART
FEB 18  1904
FLA.

[body of letter, page 1]

                   Ashmore, Fla.
                   Feb. 16, 1904
My Dearest Little Girl:
                                        I
cannot work for thinking
of you, so I am going
to stop and write to my
darling. Last night in
the opera house, while
waiting for the lecture
to start, I sat looking at
the gay throng of pretty
ladies so finely dressed,
and listened to their idle
talk, mu thoughts were
of you, my love, only you.
   Oh! Nursie you little
know how fondly, truly
I love you. You are
my queen among wom-
en and as such I
worship you. I am
afraid I love you too much

[page 2]

                 2
because if I were to lose
you, I would never think
the same of another woman.
   If you were to do some-
thing that I thought unworthy
of the girl I love, or if you
were to drop me, my ideal
of the girl I could love
would be lost, and a person
without an ideal dont amount
to anything. I wish you
could have been with me
and heard Col. Bryan's lecture
last night. It was something
fine, and one I shall never
forget. I feel that I will
always be the better for having
heard it.       Today Frank
Mattair came in and said
to me "John your girl
has moved down close to you"
I know who he meant
but I didnt let him know,
and I asked him "what
girl do you mean". He says
"you know who I mean Miss
Clara". I said why Frank

[page 3]

                    3
Miss Clara and I dont speak
to each other, but I couldnt
make him believe it. I
didnt tell him that I didnt
want to speak to any girl
but you, but it is so, I dont
care whether I see any other
girl or not. "My all in life
is you, only you, fond and true
and your own forever more
I'll be". Look through your song
book and see where you will
find those words. I am very
lonesome to night as I am
all alone, but I dont feel
as miserable as I sometimes
do. I suppose it is because
I am thinking of you my
darling, and of the time
when you will be my own
sweet little bride. I cannot
help but wonder if you
think of me half so much
as I do you. - I know you
dont. When I went in to
breakfast Monday morning

[page 4]

                  4
Sissie was asking me all
about you. I dont know
how she and Mama found
out about you. I told my
sister that I would take
her out to see you. Mama
declares she will tell you
when she sees you what
ind of a fellow I am. I
told her I would bring you
out here and let her tell
you. Of course I was only
joking, but I wish you did
know Mama better. I know
she couldnt help but love you.
   Sweetheart I am in depot
writing and it is now 10 oclock
and I am getting cold, so had
better stop and go to the house.
   Please write soon and another
long sweet letter. Good night
dearest one.
                         Your own
                                       John

   I will see you before long if we
dont go to dance. I cant stay
away from you very long - J--

[page 5]

NEXT LETTER

February 4 and February 15, 1904

There were two letters in this envelope - one from Feb 4 and one from Feb 15

[envelope, 2-cent stamp]

Miss Nursie Whaley,
Medart,
Wakulla Co.,    Fla.

[postmark]
ASHMORE
FEB 15  1904
FLA.

[back of envelope postmarks]
CRAWFORDVILLE
FEB 15  1904
FLA.

MEDART

FEB 16  1904
FLA.

[body of first letter, page 1]

                         Thursday night

                                       2/4/04

My Dearest Little Girl:

                                       I did not

get to write the first of the week

when I would have liked to on

account of having to make my

Post Office and Rail road reports.

   However I will try to make amends

now by writing a long letter - I 

am sure you did not miss my 

letter noway as they dont mean

anything to you, and besides

you get plenty letters, some much

nicer than mine - Mr. Moody's 

for instance. No sweetheart I

dont mean that for I know you

wouldnt write to him. I said

that just to tease you. I dont 

blame you for writing to some boys

but I dont accuse you of writing

to Mr. Moody, thats too bad. I

[page 2]

                    2

only wish that I could see you to-

night my darling. I have lived

over the time Sunday night for

every night since, and will

until I see you again. Oh Nursie

I wish that I could find words to 

express how very, very dear you 

are to me, and yet I would 

be afraid to even if I could, for

I am yet a little skeptical as

a girl changes so often, and I 

know not when I will get the

"mitten". My love for you have long

since passed the joking period

and is now a part of my very 

life, even more than life itself.

  I believe you think that you love

me, bu whether you have an 

affection for me that will last

or whether your mind will change

when you see another big you 

take a fancy to. It is for you

[page 3]

                      3

to prove, and as I have told you 

before, you have certainly never

proved that you love me.  I

thought you had proven yourself

false Sunday morning I hope

you may never feel the bitterness

that came over me then. It was 

then that I realized how much a

part of my life and thoughts you

had become. But that is over

and I dont blame you at all for

doing as you did, still it showed

me how I would feel were you

to "cut me out" altogether. You

perhaps think I dont trust you

as I should Nursie, but I know

quite a bit of the world and 

so many women play a deep game 

caring little who their victims

may be. I have been perfectly honest

with you and given you my first

and only love, and I have always

[page 4]

                     4

asked you to be honest with me.

   If you didnt love me I had a

hundred times rather you had

told me so, than to tell me

you love me when you dont. I

have a reason for writing this as 

I do, and when I see you if you

wish to know will tell you. I'll

admit I have every faith in you

since Sunday night, even though

it came near being shattered that

morning. You say that you hope

some day I will be happier, and

I hope so too, but it all depends

on whether you love me as I love you.

If you do I shall be happy. I have

not felt so lonely this week, not that 

I have been off, but because you 

my pretty darling, have been in my

thoughts all the time. I would not

have gone anywhere had there been

ever so many to see. Miss Janie

[page 5]

                    5

has been up here with her sister

this week and i have not even

spoke to her. Mrs. Hutchinson sent

me word to be sure and come over

to see Janie, but I didnt go.

She had gone home now. Nursie

I had a compliment from a lady

out there Sunday. It was 

one I appreciate too for I think

she was sincere. It was a mar-

died lady and I dare say you

can guess who.   I suppose I

had best stop as Mama has

gone fast asleep in her chair, and

I am sure you are getting tired 

of this. I wish that I could

see you Sunday sweetheart, but

am afraid I cant get off, but 

I may late in evening, and if 

if I dont then I will Sunday week 

sure, with your permission of 

course. I wont come any time 

[page 6]

                    6

you dont want me toX. I have 

something to ask you that I 

forgot the other night. I had

fever all first of week, and 

my mouth is full of fever

blisters. They hurt so I canX

hardly be still. I got twenty

letters and two postals Monday/

   How's that for our day? Now 

Nursie dont wait as I have to

answer for I couldnt help it

and dont forget you promised

a long letter next time. Hoping

I may see you soon,  I am always your

                                       Jno.H.A.

[body of second letter, page 1]

R. W. Ashmore, Jr.            Office of             J. H. Ashmore
                            ASHMORE BROS.,
                         GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
                                                Ashmore, Fla. Monday 15, 1904.

Dear Nursie:

                       I got an invitation to 

a dance at Spring Creek (or somewhere's) at

a Mr. Conneil's, on Friday night Feb.

19th - next Friday night, and I want

to know if you are going. if you can 

go and I can take you I will go, but 

if you dont, I am not either. Let

me know by return mail. If you

want to go let me know what time

you would like to start. Excuse Last

     With much love,   Ever yours,

                                      Jno.H.A.

Dont consider this an answer to

your letter.     Jno.

NEXT LETTER

January 26, 1904

[envelope, 2-cent stamp]
          Miss Nursie Whaley
                      Medart,
Wakulla Co.,                         Fla.

[postmark]
ASHMORE
JAN 27  1904
FLA.

[postmarks on back of envelope]
CRAWFORDVILLE
JAN 27  1904
FLA.

MEDART
JAN 28  1904
FLA.

[body of letter, page 1]

                 Tuesday night (way late)
                                       1/26/04
My Sweet Little Girl:
                                        I will en-
deavor to write you a few lines
tonight in answer to your nice
letter of Friday last, but Nursie
if this us dull dont censure
me, for I have had so much writing
to do until I can hardly use
my fingers. I use pencil for I
am afraid if I were to write with
ink you could never read it,
and you may not as it is.
   I am in depot waiting for train
longer after every body else is in
bed. Dont you pity me Nursie?
No, of course you dont care. I
dont have to do this Rail road
work, but really I am so
miserable until I want enough
work to do to keep me busy all
day and part of the night. I
dont believe there ever was a
boy placed in such circumstances
as I am - but I suppose I
should not complain.  If it had

[page 2]

                  2
not been for leaving my darling
where I could not see her at
all I would not be here now.
   Nursie when you doubt my love
the very fact that I gave up one
of the best positions ever offered
a poor bit for your sake ought
to show you how much I love you.
  Oh Nursie, you have no idea how
very, very dear you are to me, When
with you I am a different person,
and some times I forget myself. You
have no such love for me as mine
for you, and I am afraid to let you
even you know how dearly - madly -
I love you. You, who are in the
habit of having a "love affair" with
every boy you go with a time or two
dont think very much about any
thing except having a big time
with whoever you are going with.
  Right now it is me, next month
no telling who.  If you would
think seriously you would see
that you ought not fool a boy
up when he really loves you.
  Sometimes I think you do love
me,  Did you really mean what
you told me at Walter's the other

[page 3]

                      3
night? Have you wanted to
change your answer? I have
been teased quite a bit lately
about we being engaged. I neither
denied no affirmed the reports, so
they learned nothing. I would if
left to me have gladly told them
yes but for your sake I said nothing
for I know you wouldnt like for
it to get out that you were en-
gaged to such a thing as I. It
would be awful. As for me
I dont care who knows how I
love you, but of course I dont
bother to tell them. No Nursie
dont think that I show you
letters for I do not - not even
to Major. for he dont show me
his from his girl and I dont
show mine. You may rest as-
sured that what you write me
will be seen by no one else and
will be held sacred by me.
  Well the train has just gone
but I will finish this anyway.
  Mr. Cobb has asked me - Johnnie did
you think I wasnt coming? I told
him I had decided he had gone

[page 4]

                     4
around the other way.   I hope
you can get up another dance
out there but am afraid I
cant bring Major. I know what
is the matter and maybe will
tell you some time, but for Susie's
sake I dont want it to get ou.
   I wish I could have been out
there Sunday too, but it was I'm-
possible as I had to be here
to see my brother from Hilliard-
ville on some particular business.
  I know it was not a time to do
business, but Walter couldnt
come any other time, so had
to attend to it then. Sweetheart
you say if U live you half as
much as you do me we will
never have anything to quarrel
about, well I am sure we
shall never quarrel then for I
am pretty sure I love you more
than half as much as you do me.
   Nursie I had better stop, arent
you tired of this anyway? Please
write soon and a long letter.
Good night my love,
                                 Your own, John

[page 5]

NEXT LETTERS

January 17, 1904

I suspect swmk at the end means 'sealed with my kiss'. JNyF

_______________________________________________________

[envelope, 2-cent stamp]

     Miss Nursie Whaley,

            Medart,

                       Fla.

[postmark]

ASHMORE

JAN 18

 1904

FLA.

[postmarks, back of envelope]

CRAWFORDVILLE

JAN 18

 1904

FLA.

MEDART

JAN 19

 1904

[body of letter]

            Sunday, Jan 17, 04

My Dearest Nursie,

                   Your very

short but nice letter came

Friday and of course I was

glad to hear from you. This even-

ing I am so terribly lone-

some I can hardly stay here.

   It has been awful through 

the week, but then I had plenty

work to keep me from feeling so

lonely, nit today - since train

time, I feel so bad. I dont

know why but I feel like I

havnt got one in the wide, wide

world who cares for me, or 

would miss me were I gone.

I suppose you would say

that I had got the "blues"

but if so I have them to such 

an extent that they are poor

company. I dont think that 

there are many placed in a 

[page 2]

           2

similar manner to me.  I hope

not anyway, yet I would like 

to sympathize with them if there 

is for they would certainly ap-

preciate my sympathy. Honestly

my greatest pleasure is in

writing to you and reading

your letters. I have your letter

 with me now and have read

it so many times until I know

every word in it. Nursie you 

asked me what made me

think you didnt love me

and I will tell you. I dont

think you love me simply 

because you have never told me

so, but it is always in a 

kind of half tired voice just

as though you had a dis-

agreeable duty to perform and 

had best get through with it

best you can, and you never 

[page 3]

            3

write me a letter like girls do

to the boys they love. I have read

some although they were not mine

having never gotten any love letters

of my own, because I have never

loved before. Now I dont blame

you for not wearing your heart

on your sleeve for everything to pick

at, for such girls are des-

picable, but I do think if you 

really loved me you would show

it at least - to me. You know

that I love you, my darling

with as pure a love as a boy

ever had for a girl. I love

you as I never dreamed that I 

would love, and as I shall

never love again, even were you 

to "throw' me over now. My whole

life and thoughts are wrapped up

in you, you I think of last at 

night, and you I think of first

at morning. Dont think I tell

[page 4]

            4

you this to be writing, for I

do not. I tell you nothing but

the truth. You are just simply

the sweetest girl I ever saw and 

I love you with all my heart. I dont

believe you would willingly lead

me on, knowing as you do how 

I love you, but you dont love me

as I do you. I think you really

like me, and I hope will some

time love me. I dont believe 

you are like some girls I know

who would ask nothing better

than take this letter I am 

writing, show it to everybody

that comes along and have a

big laugh over it about what 

a dupe I am. If I even

thought you would show it I 

would not tell you what I 

have. Nursie you must not

have felt any worse last Wed-

nesday night than I did for it

[page 5]

          5

was very late when I got home

Tuesday night. After I left you

I stopped with Early for some

little time. I had to get up

real early too to get a team off

to camp. I felt bad all day Wed-

nesday, and that night a drum-

mer staid with me, and kept 

me up a good while. I could have

been with you, but not a drummer.

   Dont forget to keep what you have 

funny to tell me until I come

as I am anxious to know what it

is. Tell Julia I am awfully

obliged to her for her good opinion

of me, but tell her to please not

make fun of my looks, because

I know very well I was one of the 

worst looking boys there. I wish 

that I was with you this

evening, I think I could throw 

off this bad feeling. I dare say

[page 6]

           6

you are enjoying yourself better with 

out me. Aren't you sweetheart? Do

you know I envy every body that 

goes with you darling. I am not

jealous for only shallow-minded

people are jealous, but I do envy

every boy that goes with you. I 

just cant help it. Some girls

at Sopchoppy sent me word 

yesterday that they were coming 

up here to to see me. When I see

you will tell who they 

were and what I told a per-

son to tell them.  I dont think 

they will want to see me now.

   Joe Gray was with me last 

night, but he didnt ask to 

see any more of my letters.

   I got some thing over forty

letters last week and havnt 

answered half of them. Yours 

was the only one from a 

girl, and the only one I care

[page 7]

             7

anything about answering.

   I will stop now as this is

getting to be quite a long

letter, and you dont like 

long letters. Dont forget

you promised to write a 

long letter next time, and 

write soon. Trusting to see

my darling little girl soon,

     I am, ever faithfully,

                  Jno.H.A.

swmk

NEXT LETTER