Lovie [?] Daniel wrote this chatty letter from Greenville, N.C., in June 1897 to her cousin Sallie. She had been “sewing night and day for a month,” and thought she would have to “go down to Craven” before she got well.
She writes about her sister’s three-month-old baby, Paul Fleming, and about Johnnie; a visit with Clara and Fannie to Nannie at Parmele; a visit from Cousin Ed Dudley; and Sallie Edwards coming to Greenville to have her teeth pulled. “She had a strong resolution like you did,” Lovie writes, and Sallie Edwards had told her that Sallie “could use your teeth all right now.” The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Letter from Lovie Daniel to her cousin Sallie – Greenville, N.C., June 1897
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
Greenville, N.C.
June 1897
Dear Sallie:
I received your kind letter some time a go and was pleased to hear from you. Sallie please dont think hard of me for not writing any sooner I have been so busy sewing I have not had time. I have been sewing night and day for a month. I have not made myself any thing but some waist and one skirt. We have been feeble all the spring. I recon I will have to go down to Craven before I get well. I recon I will be so fat when I come home. The Greenville people wont know me. Sister and her children are here now. She is not very well. I think her baby is one of the sweetest little things I ever saw He is three months old I think he is a lovely babe. His name is Paul Fleming. Johnnie is as sweet as ever He is devoted to Paul. Clara Fannie and me went to Parmele to see Nannie we spent two days and one night with her. I enjoyed the visit very much. I guess they did Nan come home with us and stayed a few days. I do miss Clara and Fan so bad. I have been very lonely since they went home. I hardly know what to do with myself I cant stand it much longer. I am shure going down to see them. And you may look for me some time this summer If nothing happens. Cousin Ed Dudley come to see us last week and spent one night with us. They are very well. Sallie Edwards come last week and had her teeth pulled. I was surprised. I did not think she could stand to have them pulled. Her health is so bad. She had a strong resolution like you did. She told me you could use your teeth all right now. I am glad you can. I must close I have written all I know worth writing. Write soon and a long letter then I have Love to all.
Your loving cousin
Lovie [?] Daniel
About the original
“Fan” on the third page is written “Fran” with the n added above the line. The word “not” in “I did not think” is written above the line.
Source: Lovie Daniel to her cousin Sallie, June 1897. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder a (Correspondence, 1820–1897). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fa.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View this item in ECU Digital Collections.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
