Jan 14, 1917
Dear Father :
This leaves me fine and dandy. It is pretty cold up here. This morning I just came from the post office and got a letter from Mr. Wilson and he won't get here before Tuesday morning. I saw a lady that knows Mrs Brice. She said she sure was a fine lady. She has two boys age 12 and 16. I think one of them is going to school here and the other one in Chicago going to school. Barn Bates has been awful nice to me. He has been trying to get me a job until Mr. Wilson came but couldn't find any. Work is awful scarce up here. Know there is more Jones's up here than anything. One named J C Jones. I haven't gotten but one letter from you. I'm going back to the post office after a while and see if I have any mail from you. How is Grandma? Better I hope. Is Ora out in Camp or at home? Mrs. Wilson said to tell you not to be afraid of me, she said I was the best boy in town. Well this is a busy little place. But everything is filled with hands. I hope Papa is getting along alright. I am going to have to get about $30 worth of clothes before long if it don't get warmer. Be sure and send my mail to Box 316 in care of Mr. Chas Germany. He is the man that is working where Mr. Wilson is going to work. Everything is sure handy around here. We have electric lights water route and paved sidewalks all over town and it is so handy. I wrote Claude a letter but never have heard from him yet. We have a Rooming House downtown where all of the drunk men stay. They arrested 4 of them the other night. It is right over Waples-Platter house. Well I have got me a pretty girl spotted know and I believe I am get her what do you think about it? I think it will be mighty nice to have a bed partner these cold nights. I almost freeze sleeping by myself. Well if you are ever in Memphis come around to see me. My phone number is 185? (page is torn) I am home almost at any hour at night. Well I had better close. Hoping to hear from you occasionally.
I remain your loving son,
Jasper H Jones
Memphis, Texas
Box 316 c/o Chas Germany
P.S. (Written on back of envelope) The ground is covered in snow and is still snowing
To read the original letter click the links below:
I really struggled making out the 'Waples-Platter House' in Jasper's letter.... It was a grocery chain.
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| Waymarking.com |
Considering that Waples-Platter House was a grocery chain, I believe the Mr. and Mrs. Wilson that Jasper refers to in his letter was James Roger Wilson and his wife Willie. In the 1920 Memphis census he lists his occupation as a commercial traveler for Grocery House Wholesale.
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| Wichita Daily Times Wichita Falls, Texas Tuesday, April 1, 1913 |
Barn Bates is most likely Barney Dyan Bates. He was living in Comanche, TX in 1910 with his father, Moses and in 1920 he was married and living in Wichita.
I don't know who Ora is. I wondered briefly if that was my 2nd great grandmother Ora McClung Rutherford. Jasper's brother John Arthur married Ora's daughter Lurie Myrtle Rutherford, but I feel like he would've called her Mrs. Rutherford, not Ora.
The Charles Germany was Charles Bailey Germany.
One must wonder if that 'pretty girl' he spotted turned out to be his wife, Miss Winnie Lou Charters. The two of them married April 1918 the same week as his brother Frank and Miss Pearle Brown.
The Claude referred to in his letter was one of his older brothers, Claude William Jones (1889-1938)
I would say the grocery industry and Memphis Texas didn't hold much for Jasper. He was working in the oil industry for a Mr. Frank Cullinan, in Electra, Texas by the time he registered for the draft in Aug 1918
I hope you're enjoying these letters as much as I am!
Until next time,
Becky
I would say the grocery industry and Memphis Texas didn't hold much for Jasper. He was working in the oil industry for a Mr. Frank Cullinan, in Electra, Texas by the time he registered for the draft in Aug 1918
I hope you're enjoying these letters as much as I am!
Until next time,
Becky
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