Envelope with postal information is not available.
Docket: Anna Taylor, ____ Fork
Cleveland Tenn
Saturday Nov 24th 1866
My Dear
Meter, I am so sadly disappointed this morning that I
Scarcley know whether or not to write. I was almost sure I would hear
from you when I come to Town; Perhaps you never received my letter. I am sure
if you knew the consolation it affoarded me to hear from my friends and
especially one so Dear as yourself you would write Once a week at least.
I was at Benton last week all is going on smoothly up that way. Mr. J
Frey and Miss A. J. Hughs was married on last Sunday. They eloped.
Dear you cannot imagine how glad I would be to spend one happy
day with you as I have in days gone bye: while I was at Benton Mr. Lillard
and others asked me to Teach them a school of three months. I did not
concent to do so neither will I untill after I see you. It depends upon what you
say -- I do not feel inclined to postpone our engagement any further, Dear
as I am under obligations To my present employers to make two more trips to
Ducktown. I cannot visit Monroe untill near the tenth or twelfth of
next month. You must please excuse me as it is not my desire to stay away so
long. as I start in a few minutes I must close good bye dear
I am
devotedly Yours.
/s/ J. E
Notes:
The “Monroe” that
J. E. mentions visiting on the tenth is Monroe County, TN, which
includes the towns of Madisonville, Tellico Plains, Sweetwater, Coker
Creek, etc. Meter Denton is the girl he wrote the letter to, and is presumed to
be his fiancée at that time, since he did indeed marry her a month later.
He mentions in the letter that he was asked to teach a school of three
months duration but would not commit to doing so until he checked with her.
Joseph Erskine Taylor served as postmaster at various times in
McMinn County, TN, until Grover
Cleveland was elected president. His politics must not have been right,
because each time Cleveland was elected, J. E. Taylor was replaced as
postmaster.
The Anna Taylor is probably Anna Alice Taylor, my great aunt,
to whom these letters were given at one time.
I don't think it has any relation to the letter itself.
She was another member of the family (now deceased)
who worked on a family history at one time.
Notes and
transcription by Anna Lynn Taylor Norman.
From the Collection of Edward Taylor of Maryville, Tennessee.
Provenance: a treasured family heirloom
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