Taylor County GaArchives News.....WWI Letters From Emory F. Parr, Dec. 1917 - April 1918 May 9, 1918 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002476 July 4, 2005, 4:43 pm The Butler Herald May 9, 1918 The Butler Herald Thursday, May 9, 1918 Page One Letters From The Boys “Over There” The following are letters in full or extracts from letters recently received from Mr. Emory F. Parr, who is now in France by his mother, Mrs. L.M. Parr, of Panhandle community: “Somewhere in France” Christmas Eve 1917 Dearest Mother: Your letter came to me yesterday, and I was so glad to hear from you and to know that you were all well. I, too, am well and happy, and, although I am not with you in person tonight I am thinking of you and wishing you a “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” Christmas morning well is here and the boys are happy over here and are receiving little packages from home. I have seen several Christmas trees pass our camp, so suppose the people must observe Christmas about like we do at home. This morning I saw a dog hitched to a little cart or wagon, pulling a small child along the road. One of the boys in our company bought a large package of fruit and candies and has invited me to share them with him this afternoon. He is an unusually fine young man and next to Mr. Lawson he is my best friend here. He does not drink, smoke, chew, play cards of dissipate in any way, so you may know I am glad to have him as a friend. Mr. Lawson is with me and is well and happy. We have been fortunate enough to keep together so far and I believe we are going to be assigned to duty together “over here.” You know he has very little to say, but he comes around to see me every day. Mother, I am surprised that so many of the children at home are getting married, but after all I suppose it is best. When I get back to Georgia all the boys and girls I know will have homes and families. I send love to you, father, and all, and hope that all will have a happy Christmas. Send letters to me as per address below. ------------------------------------- Sunday, December 30, 1917 Mother, we had a fine dinner on Christmas and everyone enjoyed it. We had turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee, nuts, figs and apples and each man was served all he could eat. Our food at all times is good and plentiful. --------------------------------------- France, January 30th, 1918 My dear mother: How are you and father? Hope you are well. I am well and happy and am gaining weight every day. If I keep gaining I am afraid you will not know your baby when he comes home to you again. Weigh nearly 170 pounds now and continue to gain. My clothes are getting to small. Mother please don’t worry about me for I am getting along all right and have a good place. Yes I am coming home to you again for I am going to take care of myself and keep well. We are in a good part of the country here I wish I could write you all about it, but when I come home I will tell you everything. The boys are all singing tonight and everyone seems to be very happy. One of them is playing a piano – “Bringing in the Sheaves” and it would do you good to hear them sing. ------------------------------------- France, March 6th, 1918 Mother I am having a wonderful experience or at least I consider it so. In the first place I consider myself fortunate that I am a member of the United States army and able to serve my country even in a small way and in serving my country to serve a righteous cause. Every mother in America who has a son here ought to and I know they do feel honored that they have contributed to such a noble cause. This is a wonderful country and a fine old race who inhabit it. The farms and farm house here although very old and quaint are beautiful. There people can produce so much in the course of a year on an acre of land and absolutely everything is utilized. They waste nothing and of course are very thrifty people. And one very interesting sight to me is the custom which prevails everywhere here it seems of using large dogs to pull little carts or wagons to carry packages, bread, etc. And the funny thing about it mother is to see how hard the little fellows will pull and how they will let you know they are tired. They will pull for dear life until they get tired and then bark which tells their master that they are tired. ---------------------------------------- France, Sunday, March 24th, 1918 My dear Mother: How is my dear mother this beautiful Sunday morning? I hope that you and all are well. I am feeling fine; never felt better I don’t think. Spring has opened up beautifully here and everything outside this morning reminds me strongly of life – life in the States - to me. The sun rose in a cloudless sky no wind blowing and the little birds are trying to sing their sweetest and best and even though I am far away from you this minute I am happy. There are so many reasons why one should be happy you know. Last night one of the boys invited me to go to the theatre with him – a performance for the benefit of the families of French soldiers who have been permanently or temporarily disabled on account of wounds – and I heard some of the best music! It was in reality a light Opera and was very good indeed. The young man with whom I went is a Georgia boy whose home is at Albany. Wish you could have been there to see the French ladies and gentlemen – the way they dress, their custom, etc. I know you would have enjoyed it all. ---------------------------------- France, April 10th, 1918 When the mail comes this morning I am expecting a letter from you because you see I haven’t had one in about a week now and it is getting time I had another. It is cloudy and cool here this morning; just the kind of weather we used to have at Easter but during the middle to the day the sun comes out and dries everything off pretty well. How is the weather in Georgia now? I hope you are having fine weather so that the farmers can get in their crops and get a good stand of little plants. How is your garden –mother – and little chickens this year? Tell Julia to try her hand this year and see how many chickens she can raise because everything to eat is going to bring a good price and she could try real hard and makes lots of money there raising chickens – the market is going to be good. My health is good mother and I am getting along all right. Uncle Sam is taking good care of me and all the boys in France. Mr. Lawson is well and fat as a pig; we are together still. Couldn’t get along without him we have been together so long. Lots of love from Your baby, Emory F. Parr Address: Supply Company L.M.C., 303 American Expeditionary Forces Via New York NOTE: Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-98 Name: Emory F Parr Death Date: 23 Jun 1952 County of Death: Taylor Gender: M Race: W Age: 64 County of Residence: Taylor Certificate: 16833 If this is the same man, he would have been about 29-30 when he wrote the letters. I also found an Emory F. Parr, 21, living as a single boarder in the 1910 US Census for Atlanta, Fulton County, GA. He and his parents listed as all being born in GA. His age in the census matches the age for the Parr that died in 1952. I found Emory F. Parr, age 41, single, in the 1930 US Census for Panhandle, Taylor County, GA. He was living with his single sisters, Mabel (47) and Julia (46), and his single brother, William H. Parr (63), who was listed as head of household and a farmer. Emory was listed as a veteran of the WW. Larry Whittington File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/taylor/newspapers/wwilette2251nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb