9 November 1897 Letter from James M. Smith, Sr. to Eva Slaton - of Union Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Dr. Robert S. Hendrick Date of Submission: October 2009 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 9 November 1897 Letter from James M. Smith, Sr. to Eva Slaton Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Smith became the Union Parish Clerk of Court in 1879 and served until 1900, when he resigned to serve as a Louisiana State Senator. Smith had courted Slaton prior to his marriage to May Olive Kidd in 1885, but May had died in February 1895. Smith and Slaton married in January 1898. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== James M. Smith Sr. to Eva Slaton (Addressed to Miss Eva M. Slaton) ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Jas. M. Smith, Clerk Edward Everett, Deputy Clerk’s Office Parish of Union Farmerville, LA November 9, 1897 My darling little girl, Your precious little letter laden with such good news for your boy came promptly Saturday as you hoped it would, and made him happy as usual when he opened its few pages and read the sweet message- sweeter by far to me than could come from the pen of any other. Darling I believe you know that your happiness in all things is mine, that you are my idol, my hope and the very sunlight of life itself to me. With you I am happy & without you no matter how inspiring the occasion and attractive the association I am unhappy. It is truly a source of inexpressible pleasure & happiness to me to hope and be assured by my sweet little darling that in not the very distant future she will be mine in fact, to bless, brighten and make happy my life and home as no other can. Darling I know that I shall be the owner of the dearest, sweetest, loveliest and best little wife of any man and one whom any man would feel honored and proud to call his wife; and it shall be the chief ambition of my life if in me possible, to bless, brighten and make happy the life of my angel girl. Dearest I am sorry my letter made you so nervous and serious, but am glad your love for your boy and interest in his happiness have caused you to finally to decide to settle our affair satisfactory to him, which of course I am lead to infer means our early marriage. I can’t understand though why it is you wish me to defer my visit for about 2 weeks? Tell me why. Well we have been enjoying a family reunion for the last few days such as we haven’t had for some time before. Alice & brother Wharton came last Friday & sister came Saturday & as you know Billie & Belle (W W Heard & Isabelle Manning Heard ??) are here and we have been having a most enjoyable time together. All the happy meeting lacked of making it complete was the presence of my sweet, precious little girl to preside over deliberations and pleasures, but I hope before another such occurs I shall have her with me. What do you think, the presence of my relatives occurring as it has, caused the people here generally to believe that their coming was prep-aratory to our marriage, so much so, that they had it that we were to marry today. I have had good many to tell me that they heard I was to be married today. I told them if so I know nothing of it. This is not the first time the date has been fixed lately. I reckon we will have to accommodate them soon. What do you think about it? It is too bad to disappoint them you know. Sister will probably return to Shreveport about the last of next week or it may be later. If nothing prevents I shall carry her as far as Ruston & if it suits will be glad to visit you then. I shall expect a letter from you Friday or Saturday next & you can then let me know & I will write you what day I will probably be over. I fully intended to write you darling Sunday, my usual time, but on account of preaching Sunday & Sunday night & company this has been my first opportunity. I hope my little darling hasn’t been disappointed by the delay. I had just returned from prayer meeting tonight when I began this letter & told them I had to come to the office to attend to some important business is the way I got off. Write me a long, sweet letter. With a heart full of love for my little angel. Yours Devotedly, James ########################################################################################## File posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/history/letters/smith/1897-11-09.txt