Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., was born October 25, 1855, in Texas, and married Emma L. WILLIAMS, the daughter of Andrew J. WILLIAMS and wife Sarah Jane DUNNAGAN, whose families are described in the Chapters VI and VII. The marriage of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., and Emma WILLIAMS occurred January 9, 1882 in Red River County. We know very little of Emma, who died while her children were quite young. I believe her nickname was Minnie, and we have pieces of a quilt she quilted and signed and we have a forlorn looking picture of her, but that's about all. She was born January 16, 1860 and died May 5, 1896 at the age of 36. The receipts quoted below would indicate that her place of death, or at least her residence at date of death, may have been at Valley View in Cooke County, south of Gatesville. Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., died December 4, 1908, at the age of 53. Here are links to pictures of the couple and their children and to pictures of the cemetery where several of the family are buried.
Thomas Wilson ANDERSON was sent to Waco University (now Baylor) by Oliver ENGLISH who was his half brother. He was involved with the newspaper in Justin, Denton County, Texas; was an insurance salesman; was Justice of the Peace at Valley View in Cooke County, Texas; and worked for M. A. Shumard & Co. insurance, whose offices were in Dallas.
The family of Andrew WILLIAMS lived 2 households away from the family of Thomas ANDERSON in the 1870 census. Tom was 14 and Emma was 10. In the 1860 census, the Thomas ANDERSON family is listed on page 75 of the Red River Census, with Tom age 4, and the A. I. WILLIAMS family is listed on page 86 with Emma 6 months old. Tom was the oldest child in his family born in Texas as was Emma.
The following is copied from a rough draft of a letter. The paper is printed "Cameron Mill and Elevator Company, ________ Texas, ______ 189__" and is a printed cover letter for invoices for car(s) of grain.
Hon R. W. FINLY, Comptroller
Austin, Tx
Sir:
T. W. ANDERSON of Cooke Co Texas makes application for a clerkship in your Department and we the subscribers take pleassure in recommending him to you as an effecient industrious and capable man. He is a graduate of Baylor University and has had extensive experience in business and we believe he would perform the duties of the position to which he aspires with fidelity. Beside this we would be glad to have this part of the state represented in your office and would be pleased if you could see it to your interest to make the appointment. Mr. ANDERSON was nominated in the Democratic Primary Election held in this County on July 21, 1894 for Justice of the Peace of Precinct No. 6 and was elected by a majority of about 3 to 1 at the general election in November. We hope you may see proper to appoint him to the position named and in so doing we think you would be giving only proper recognition to the Democracy of this section.
A receipt, written on pleading paper for "W. E. ROGERS, County Attorney and J. E. HAYWORTH, 6 Yrs. Co. Judge., Office of ROGERS & HAYWORTH, Attorneys-at-Law. Office, South Dixon St., up stairs Davenport Building, and Court House. Geo. HAYWORTH, Stenographer and Typewriter" reads:
Gainesville, Texas, January 6, 1896. Recd. of T. W. ANDERSON Justice of the Peace Valley View $5.00 my fee in case of The State of Texas vs. Charlie MURRELL.
W. E. ROGERS
Co. Atty.
Two receipts on continuous forms still attached, in the same handwriting:
Valley View Texas July 9, 1896
Received of T. W. ANDERSON, Twenty five and 20/100 Dollars In full of all accounts to date.
$25.20 J. S. WIGGINS & Co.
Valley View Texas July 9, 1896
Received of T.W. ANDERSON, Forty Seven & 60/100 Dollars Balance in full of all accounts for Medical Services to date including Medical Services to his wife in her last Sickness.
$47.60 J. A. HEMPHILL M.D.
The following is a letter to T. W. ANDERSON, Jr., from his brother S. J. ANDERSON, D. D., President, Burleson College, Greenville, Texas. The envelope is addressed to Tom W. ANDERSON Esq, Valley View, Texas. Estelle is the daughter of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., and although Oliver and Sam are family names and appear in various branches of the family, I believe in light of the context they are the Oliver and Sam who are sons of the writer of the letter, Sam ANDERSON, Sr.
Greenville, Texas
July 25th, 98
Dear Tom
We are passing under the rod just now it seems but God knows just what to do with us. Oliver's wife can hardly move a muscle in her body--her jaws are so tightly locked you can't get a spoon between her teeth--I took her to Mineral Wells June 9th. Oliver got down shortly after they got there and thought he would die. I sent his Mother-in-law over. There they all are an heavy expense to me and it seems getting no better. Wife is not in good health but is up--Then to crown it all as I was working heroically to build up the school by a sweeping canvass this summer- I am kept at home with fever-I have employed teachers who will cost me near $600.00 a month - besides incidentals & living for my family - My opportunity to meet all these aggregating expenses was to sweep the country in July & August and get the pupils here but the time is passing away. The doctor hopes I can get out by Aug 1st and so do I, but can't tell. I have twelve men on the field, some of them doing good work and if I can spend August on the field I feel that all will be well. As to Estelle, I would say by all means she ought to be educated, in the strict sense of that word. She has a mind and a taste that way and can easily take rank with the educated women of the world. She can then hold positions of honor and renumeration - As to learning short hand and typewriting we can give her that here, at odd times without extra cost to her-- It is well to know it but not merely to be an office girl-- She must look higher-- I know some office girls that are as pure & sweet as any others but they are frequently placed in embarrassing positions by being cut off from the association of their sex and thrown with a lot of rough men in order to hold their positions - It is all right for a girl who cannot take a finished education but it would be too bad for Estelle to stop at that- It is like what Sam said to me when we lived in Dallas. He didn't know whether to make of himself a lawyer or a street car driver. Tell Estelle to make her arrangements to enter Burleson College in September. And when she graduates here she will have more learning than a graduate from 20 of our female schools, in Texas or out of it- Our faculty & course of study cannot be duplicated in the state-
Your Bro Sam
Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., was an insurance agent for M. A. Shumard & Co. whose offices were in Dallas. This letter was type-written to him May 1, 1895, at Valley View, Texas:
Referring to the enclosed beg to say that we would prefer not to write on the threshing outfit contained in the barn and especially would we not carry the risk while it is in operation. the rate on the hotel is as you say four percent. For your class of town, but do not give us any frame hotels if they are mortgaged as mortgaged frome (sic) hotels are prohibited by our companies. We would like to have the barn abd (sic) dwelling above referred to and if you cannot get it without taking a small line on the thresher only while contained in the barn we will not object to taking a small line.
Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr.'s, activities as a Mason are reflected in the following letter of recommendation:
Hall of J. S. Ramsey Lodge No. 395 I.O.O.F.
March 30, 1901To whom it may concern:
This is to certify that Bro. T. W. ANDERSON served as N. G. of this Lodge and is therefore a Past Grand.
W. J. Davis, Secty.
The BULL book reports that he was a prominent business man and they were active members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
A more personal look at the life of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., however, is found in the following series of letters, written after the death of his wife. The signature is never more than "Belle W.", and there are no return addresses on the letters or envelopes, which are in the possession of Alma Ellen ANDERSON BREEDLOVE. Belle probably was Belle WARD, the daughter of Sam H. WARD and wife Mary A. who are in Red River County with Belle and her sister Lola on the 1900 census. Sam's date of birth is given by the Red River County census taker as December, 1829, in Arkansas. Mary A. WARD is shown born March, 1836 in Alabama. Belle, born in November, 1863, and Lola, born in July, 1871, are both shown to have been born in Texas. Mary A. WARD, Belle's mother, was probably Mary AIKEN WARD, born March 28, 1936, sister of Mary AIKEN MOSELEY, and to Col. AIKEN. A daughter of Col. AIKEN was Mary America CONNOR, wife of Captain CONNOR, and owner of Mary Connor College in Paris, Texas. Her son Will CONNOR married Annie POPE. The Joe, Flossie, and Estelle and Thomas G. CHAMBERS mentioned are the children and grandchild of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr. Erskine is probably Erskine POPE, the daughter of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON's sister, Addie POPE, and probably Effie is also one of the twin daughters of Addie POPE. Effie's twin sister, Belle, probably is not the author since she talks about Erskine and her mother. The "Mr. WILLIAMS" would possibly be the father-in-law of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, and Nick WILLIAMS was his brother-in-law.
Clarksville, Aug. 18, 1906 Mr. T. W. ANDERSONJustin, Texas. My Dear Mr. ANDERSON: Your letter of 5 inst received on time and your being absent from home caused it to be just one day behind time. I am of the same opinion about this letter that you were of mine-- i.e I don't know how to write it. I agree with you entirely that our continued correspondence cannot go on much longer - that is it is not necessary, we have continued it uninterruptedly for quite a long time and if we ever expect to avail ourselves of any thing gained thereby I think it is time we were doing it or else discontinue our correspondence, but it has been almost a whole year since I have felt like I was very well and I hardly think any man would want to marry a sick woman but I am well now and feel like I was about eighteen years old. I really don't know what caused me to be sick so much the past year unless I contracted so much malaria in that low pinery country and so much exposure last winter while I was teaching. You suggested that we do not live this way much longer but to get married but you know the way you have your business arranged now, it would not be at all convenient. No, I don't think for a moment that you had "gone wild on this subject". but there is a limit to all things and also a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue, and you have had more patience and forbearance with me than I could possibly expect of you or any one I could not ask for more. Now, my Dear I want to know what caused you to think that I would not like for you to come to see me? You know I would love, O so well to see you and I had rather see you at my home than any where else. So you may disabuse your mind of that absurd idea at once and if an opportunity presents itself I can assure you that I will be very glad to see you. You also spoke of making a trip down near Pittsburg and possibly into R. R. Co. Have you made the trip to Pittsburg yet? If so, you did not come on here did you? We have Southwestern Telephone connection which you can get from most any house in C.V. I have been eagerly listening to all calls here in the earnest hopes that one of them would be a call from you. I have never heard your voice over the Telephone but I believe I would know you right at once even if I were not expecting it, and you were ever so far away. Now, Sweetheart don't you think any more that I would not like for you to come here to see me. If I can I will explain what I meant when I said that "I hardly thought it would be this way with me next winter." It has been so long since I've been at home during the winter that I feel almost like I am not doing right to have nothing to do, yet some one of us must stay here with Mama and Papa they are to old and helpless to be left alone, but school teaching is paying so well now and the apportionment so good that I feel like I ought to teach or marry or do something and it is time to do it. I noticed in "Echo" where you had made a business trip to Bellevue. I want to tell you what Papa said about the Echo. He had read it through and handed it to Mama asked her if she wanted to read it. She ask what was in it. he said "News of all kinds it is better than the Dallas News for me". Now, wasn't that quite a compliment to your paper? And by the way he is not the only one of the family who likes to read it. Hon F. F. HILLS view in last issue are fine. How did little Master Thomas G. CHAMBERS get along with Whooping Cough? You are fortunate to have Joe with you. Erskine asked me to come down to a spelling contest that she had last night, said that they were going to spell out of Blue Back Speller. The roads were so bad I did not go, tried to get her on the Phone line this morning to hear about it but failed to get connection, we sometimes have trouble to get central as the three lines out here get crossed and tangled they are crossed now. It began raining about 5 minutes ago and is just pouring down. Lola left last Tuesday for Prescot Ark. We expected to receive a letter from her yesterday saying when she would be back as she only expected to be gone a few days, but as it has rained so much and raining now, the old saying may hold good in her case-- "water bound in Ark." By the way I forgot to tell you on last page - Erskine said that she and her mother were going to Effie's in two weeks. will go on 6 P.M. train Friday and Erskine will return on Sunday. Well I told you at beginning that I did not know how to answer your letter and yet there doesn't seem to be anything very definite in this, but this much I do know, that if we marry any time soon we must marry in a hurry. Now what I mean by this is that under circumstance I will make but little preparations and it must not be long from the time we agree on until we are married and gone. Good Bye Sweetheart. With all my love Belle |
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Clarksville, Aug 26, 1906 Mr. T. W. ANDERSON Justin Texas. My Dear Mr. ANDERSON: Your letter of 5 inst was received on time. After I send you a letter I most always know when to expect your letter and am seldom disappointed for you are so good to answer on time. You had just returned from Dallas where you had gone with your friend to place him in Keely Cure Institute when you received my last letter. How is he now? I see in Echo where you attended the picnic at Denton. The Reunion and picnics here are all over now. Of course it did not fail to rain during the reunion. Hon. Joseph W. BAILEY was interrupted during his speech by the rain. Maria and Lola went in that afternoon to hear him and was compel to come home in the rain and mud. but they were in a top buggy and did not get wet. I did not go until afternoon of last day, did not specially want to go then, but "that estimable gentleman" I told you of in my last seemed rather persistent and finally I agreed to go in for the drive more than any thing else as I knew every thing would be breaking up by that time had a very pleasant drive and also another very pleasant call from him again last Sunday afternoon, but O how much more pleasant and enjoyable it would have been to me if it only had have been you instead of him. but you don't care do you Dear? and besides he is a fine old fellow (45 yrs) to go with he always want to take in all attractions and all good things coming his way and can make any one enjoy being with him. Mrs. CAMPBELL and Willy were with us last week. The telephone has just rung and I answered and found that very estimable gentleman on the line and have just finished talking to him. Mrs. CAMPBELL and Willie went from here to English expected to return to Paris this week. A young lady from near Fulbright has been visiting here this week and is still here I was with her quite often when I taught at Moseley. We are all torn up about telephones. There are four lines running out here with sixteen boxes. The service we get is very unsatisfactory and it is very hard to get connection so most all have agreed to patronize the Independent and all preparations are being made and I think will be completed and in operation by the first. I am so sorry would rather not make the change but as this is a party line and it will be discontinued there is nothing left for us to do but "go with the band". You asked about attending the Dallas Fair. we do not expect to attend this year however much we would like to but if we should decide to attend any or avail ourselves of any excursions or attractions during the Fall I think we would prefer San Antonia this time as we have visited the Dallas Fair several time and have never visited the historic San Antonia. There has been and still is a great deal of sickness in our county and so much of it is fatal and most of it is continued fever. I can now realize more than ever how fortunate we were last year with our cases of fever but we think that both the nursing and medical attention that we had were the very best, though I know even that often fails, but I did not realize all this at the time. Say Sweetheart that very estimable gentleman asked me while ago when I was talking to him by telephone to go to church with him. Must I go? Now if that had have been you I would have known right at once what to say and what I would want to do. O how I wish it was you, but we will never disagree about it, for Lola's saying still holds good and will continue to hold good. It rained here at about 4:30 A.M. and the day is much more pleasant than the past week has been. almost an ideal fall day. Wish I could see you at the Fair but as you said in your last that you must see me this fall I thought I could see you perhaps without going to the Fair and could then go to San Antonia too. Now isn't that pert? Is Flossie going to school this term? Will Joe be with you or with the oil mill people this season? I must close. Lovingly yours. Belle W |
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Clarksville Nov. 12, 1906 Mr T. W. ANDERSON Chillicothe Texas. My Dear Mr ANDERSON I fully intended to write to you the first of last week when I came down here east of C.V. to begin school but as I had made no arrangement as to board previous to coming on fourth inst I was compel to attend to that first which I did and am now boarding at Mr Pat SHEFFY's suppose you know where he lives. Then after I was established in my new quarters I felt perfectly confident that I would send you a letter in today's mail but when I went to town Saturday I met Lola and she said if I would go home with her she would bring me back yesterday so you see when I have not written sooner, but then you got two at once the last time and could afford to satisfactorily wait awhile. I was delighted to receive your last letter for it explained your unexpected (to me) move, besides all the other news. I think this last move you have made in the interest of The Burrus M. & E. Co. [editorial comment: could be M. A. E. Co.] is "proof conclusive" of how they measure your ability and success and I feel sure that with the real impossibles overcome this will score you the third successful undertaking in reestablishing their dead business. Indeed you have reasons to feel highly complimented at this renewed evidence of their appreciation of your efforts in their behalf. How do you like the move? I understand that it is only temporary on your part unless the outcome of it proves to be for your interest after certain developments, so if you can tell any thing about it now you will let me know if you expect to remain after Jan 1, 1907. Have you any recent favorable news concerning the Denton Oil development? If it has in any way found its way into the papers I fail to see any thing of it. I receive the Echo no longer. I suppose of course you directed the change as you were no longer in Justin and of course that fact in itself causes me not to be as much interested as I have been all the time previous to your change of location. I am very much overjoyed at the secondary matter of which you spoke - i e your addiction to the drinking habit of which you now have complete self control and are no longer held by the uncontrollable desire and appetite for it. I sincerely trust this will prove to be a lasting cure and a blessing to you, your family and loved ones, by loved ones I mean no other than myself. for who, yes who loves you any more than I do? No one, for no one can. I know you fully realize the passionate love I have for you and do not doubt it for a moment. What have Mr. CHAMBERS and Estelle decided to do? Did your letter of slight encouragement have the effect of causing them to decide on that location or have the decided yet on any definite location? I have not seen Mr. B. M. HANCOCK since I came down here. I think I have put a quietus on the subject though he said he did not come to see me for me to be his friend that it was not my friendship alone that he wished to gain. I wonder what it was beside friendship that he so ardently desired? Could you offer a suggestion as a possible solution? He said that he was unawares of any devotee who worshiped at my shrine, and I did not enlighten him but my heart was so full of love for you that I was sorely tempted to tell him all but I think I told him enough to cause him to think something. Tomorrow will be my birthday and I will spend it in the school room. I hope to at least be able to spend the next in a different and more congenial and enjoyable way and you know who, of all in the round world I had rather it would be spent with. I have quite a long walk to my schoolroom but it was the best arrangement I could make. it is often a little difficult to make pleasant and satisfactory arrangements as to a boarding place in the country. Lola's school began today she will go from home so will be with Mama at night. I know they are so lonely and especially Mama all alone during the day and I am lonely here. There were two marriages in our neighborhood yesterday and to be another 14 our nearest neighbors - Mary DAWSON and Mr. McALLISTER, he lives where Mr. Nick WILLIAMS lived when he was here. I must close now and live in the land of dreams with you for awhile for I must go to school tomorrow and when I awake with happy thoughts of some sweet day overcoming inevitable fate and ever after living happily together in each others love. When O when will the realization come? I am now on Route No. 4 be sure to address No. 4 for if you do not it will go in home on No. 3. This is R. F. D. 4 leading out from Clarksville. I will expect a letter in next Tuesday's mail as usual and hope not to be disappointed. With a heart full of love Belle W |
| Clarksville March 6, 07 My Dear Mr. ANDERSONYes, your letter of 23 ult reached me on Monday and I was delighted and pleasantly surprised, it was one among your very good letters to me and O how I did enjoy it but the different services caused me to get my letter one day earlier. Yes I remember Rev. Henderson BROWN. How did the meeting progress? Yes, I have seen Mr. HURT since I wrote you last. He spent most of the day here last Sunday, and as you said, I found him to be a very pleasant gentleman. He has not married yet but I have heard that Easter is now the time that people say he is to be married. He very distinctly remembers you and asked me a great many questions about you Sunday. I do not know how he has our names connected but he asked when I expected to make western Texas my home of course I tried to evade his questions, he said that Mr. STATLER said that you had not given up hope yet. So you see he has been talking to Mr. STATLER. Mr. HURT can certainly question any one very closely and can also ask rather personal and difficult questions. I could fill a page or two of this paper with different questions he asked me Sunday, and I would always try to talk to him about Miss PARCHMAN but he tried to impress me with the idea that it was all called off between them, but I think this will be with me like the time with Mr. HANCOCK, when I go home it will be over, but understand he and Mr. HANCOCK are entirely different men in every respect that I know any thing about. Both are good men but Mr. HURT is far the superior of the two men. But like Mr. HANCOCK in the matrimonial line, he will marry soon for he most certainly is out for that especial purpose now. and he is going to find some one pretty soon that will agree with him and take him up. for he has very flattering inducements to offer to the one who does agree to accept. When he came Sunday before noon and I was told that he wanted to see me I thought I could talk to him all right but at 5 P.M. when he left I found I had quite a good deal to think about. Don't think me silly for telling you all this but you know you are the only one I would tell except home folks. My school will close tomorrow and I will of course be glad to be at home with Mama again for she has been so lonely this winter, this was only a four months school and the people moved off and changed up so Xmas that it has been rather small but you know when country schools are small they are very pleasant. but I have thought of Mama so much being so lonely and old that I have had but little thought of pleasure, but now I will soon be with her for I was talking by telephone to John WARD and he said that he would come for me the very day my school is out. He is a good brother any way, but it is now so cloudy that I am afraid it will get up raining in the morning. There is a small creek near my school house and today the children got all the strings that they had in their pockets and all the pins (I gave them most all the pins I had in my clothes) and at noon we all went to the creek and caught three strings of perch and one cat. They were delighted and I was surprised that they could catch them as they did with just a crooked pin but you know school boys know how to crook pins in different shapes. I am glad that you suggested about writing to mama really I think it a good idea and I also think that she would appreciate the motive but now that I am going home I will talk to her and Lola and will then tell you more about it. i think she fully realizes the situation just as you have stated it, but it seems that she cannot become reconciled to the idea of the difference it will cause and the distance we will be from her. Now my Dear Sweetheart what can anyone do with such a proposition? With my heart full of love for you and a longing and strong desire to always be with you and with Mama on the other side so lonely and aged what can or what ought I to do? It has caused me a great deal of thought and now since the death of my father it has caused me considerable more. How can I tell just what effect it would have on her if we should marry soon and leave her, but I am going to try to get a clear, plain and thorough expression from her and if the sacrifice does not seem too great I will gladly let you know at once. I think now that I will not mail this letter tomorrow but take it home and after I talk to her and Lola I will write more, so will quit now as it is getting late and I have my school reports to make. Monday night Well, I am at home now and of course feel some better. I intended to write to you Sunday but we had company all day and yes again I thought I would get this off in today's mail but it came by before i was ready. I thought I would be able to write you a cheerful letter after I would get home and tell you something good or at least something that would make both of us feel good but I suppose we must still try to have a little more patience and wait awhile longer. We have waited so long already but suppose we must still try.I will let you know if I succeed in getting and expression from Mama and it may be that a letter from you would be of some help in our plans, but I have accomplished comparatively nothing, so far. Send your next letter out on R F d 3 now, as I will be at home. I am disappointed in this letter for I had hoped that it would be different but I still hope that it may be different some time soon. With all the love of my heart Belle W-- |
| March 11, 1907 Clarksville May 16, 1907 My Dear Mr ANDERSON,Yours of 12 inst received yesterday, as you asked for an answer not later than 22, will write you a short letter tonight. I was truly glad to learn that your eye is better and your general health improving and do so trust that Mrs. CHAMBERS has continued to improve. We have had so many heavy rains and continued wet weather that it has caused farmers and everyone else to become very despondent over the situation. You spoke of going to Ft. Worth on 23 to attend grain dealers and millers association and perhaps coming on down here. Of course we will be delighted to see you. Yes, I remember one of the stipulations of your next visit, but I am afraid right at this time of you making your visit we will meet with disappointment. for it now seems altogether impossible for us to carry out our plans, it perhaps might be different sometime later still as you requested I write and tell you this that you may not be disappointed after you get here. In case you do come you asked where you could call from in C.V. We now have the "Home" telephone and you can call from any business house in town though I think the convenient and popular place is Butcher Drug store or will also suggest that your brother in town has the same telephone connection that we have. any way you can easily get connection with us from several places in town, that you may find convenient after you get there. Don't fail to let me know just as soon as you get to C.V. even if you are not ready to come out in the country right at that time. There are some places in the road from here to town that ever since Monday have been impossible for single buggy to make the trip. but with good weather will be better next week. It does seem that if you should come at this time, you have limited your visit much shorter than when you first spoke of spending the greater part of this month in our county, for now you say you must be back by 5 of June. Could you stay longer as your visits are so "few and far between"? Glad you had an enjoyable day Sunday. Lola is now at home but has not been very well since she came. was so exposed to the continued rains the last of her school that she has a very severe cold almost equal to the Gripp neither are Mama and Pauline right well. now my Dear Sweetheart if you find it impossible to make this visit let me know at once, and in case you do come let me know just as soon as you get to C.V. and then when you get ready to make the trip out here you can let me know that also. Was sorry that Estelle was so sick that you were called home from Bellevue. If you fail to come let me know what arrangements you make at grain dealers association at Ft. Worth, and if you come you can tell me. in either case I will expect to know soon. With all my love, Belle |
| Clarksville July 21, 1907 My Dear Mr. ANDERSON;Glad to know that my last letter cured you of a case of "blues". How are you now? How is the grain market? At the time you were having so much rain we were also having quite a good deal here but now it is rather dry and really were needing the last rain, will soon need more. I hear they are having quite an interesting revival meeting at the Methodist church in C.V. Lola and I thought of attending today but it kept getting warmer and was so far to go to church we decided to stay at home. Did you hear Hon Joseph W. BAILEY in Vernon on 4? He spoke here at Reunion last year but Mr. B. M. HANCOCK caused me to miss hearing his speech, but if he were to speak here this Reunion (Aug 22 & 23) he would not cause me to miss it this time, would he? How are you progressing in the real estate and insurance business with Mr. RUSSELL? And again how are you and your telephone girl by now? I imagine those books receive special attention from you. Mr. McCOY and Pauline are in Silver city N.M. they are delighted with the climate but the town is not supplied with all the modern conveniences and the majority of the inhabitants are Mexicans. Uncle John BINEN [editorial comment: Capital B and 6 humps, with an i dotted. Could be any number of combinations of letters.] came 13th is here now, of course we did not know that he was coming neither do we know how long he expects to stay though I don't think he will stay very long, think he expects to go to Paris tomorrow. I am having quite a great deal of dental work done and it seems that I cant get it finished any time soon. was there all yesterday afternoon also all day last Tuesday you remember that this work had been started before you were here (28 May) and I now have an appointment with the dentist for tomorrow. don't know just when it will all be finished. Lola has a school for the winter near Garvinsville. I have so often been asked if I were going to teach this winter because I did not try to get a school. Every one seemed to expect me to secure a school for the winter and when they saw that I was not making any effort to do it they seemed a little surprised but I told them that Lola would be gone this winter and it was my time to stay with Mama. Really I don't know what arrangements we can make for this winter. Of course we are not going to leave Mama here, neither are we going to depend on any one else to take care of her. So this is one point in the arrangements that is a little hard to decide the best course to pursue, so you see Lola and Mama and I must solve this problem before we make any other arrangements. I don't know how we will do it but I expect we will manage it some way, but after living with Mama as long as we have we cant think of leaving her here alone. Even before Papa died we knew they were too old and their health too bad to leave by themselves, and one of us have been at home all the time for the last six years. Bob is sick we will go see him this afternoon, have not heard from him to day but he had fever yesterday. Well My Dear Good Sweetheart I must close this letter now and write to Pauline, hope when I write to you again that we will have some definite plans made as to our arrangements for this winter. With a heart full of love Belle |
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8 P.M. Clarksville Aug 25, 1907 My Dear Mr ANDERSON,Your note of 22nd was received yesterday on time. I would have written before now but could not arrange any definite plans as to dates etc. Just what we can do about our plans so as to carry them out I cannot say, as I told you Lola's school will be away from home this winter if you can suggest any thing please do it. I told you I thought we could arrange things for home this winter but as yet have failed to make any satisfactory arrangements. If it was so I would not be compel to leave home we could easily carry out our plans in Oct. so please do not hesitate to suggest any thing if you can. It seems that I have tried so often and failed that I am very much discouraged and disheartened about all of it and now feel like giving up. Life is too short especially our age to put off such plans much longer and we have tried and failed until I am tired of it and I know you are too. If you were only here permanently it would all be different and we could then do as we like about it. Of course you were anxious to hear from me after receiving my last letter but as before stated I could not write you any thing definite and thought perhaps I could arrange some way and would then write you at once, but so far have failed. We love each other too well to give up all and yet it seems that we can never do any more than we have done. but if the time ever comes when I think we can do more I will be ready. We have been to two services of the Holiness meeting to day. It is very warm to spent the whole day but we did not have to go very far about two miles. The Reunion is over, rained first day and was very disagreeable. Oh I can't write to night I feel altogether too despondent. If we could marry in Oct. how would you like to arrange for it? I would like to marry and leave on the 9 A.M. train or 6 P.M. just which ever train we could make connections best if we should leave on 9 A.M. train we would have to marry at 7 A.M. if on 6 P.M. we would marry at 4 P.M. Now how would you like the ceremony etc arranged? I would want Rev. C. E. LAMB to perform it. and whom shall we invite. I want your ideas and suggestions. I had thought that we could have a very quiet affair of it, but I know you have relatives and friends here that you may want and of course it would be all right with us. Tell me just how you would like it managed if we should find a way of carrying out our plans. but as to the time that we can do it will have to try further to see what I can do. Give me the full plans of all of it, for I think if we marry you must plan everything. Now I don't know that we will marry but I want your full plans, you possibly might suggest something that would help me and then I perhaps could do more. I don't want to give up entirely but what can I do? It seems that there is nothing but disappointments for me. With all my love Belle |
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Clarksville Oct 7, 1907 My Dear Mr. ANDERSON:,I wrote you a letter yesterday but was in bed almost all day as I have been sick for several days and as I am feeling much better to day and failed to mail it will write again for I did not write much, only that I was sick, was not able to write any more, and this will be short but better than no letter at all. We have had quite a good deal of rain for the past week and is raining now. notice in the D News where you have had a wind storm causing some damage to houses by blowing them down. Suppose you have your engine all right now, and up with your work again. Concerning the prohibition election in your county I noticed something like this in Texas Christian Advocate "Two years ago the pros carried that county by only fifty four majority, but this time they won by 374 majority! Every box in the county save one small one gave a pro majority. It was a Waterloo for the antis. Even Quanah, the stronghold of the antis went pro by 163." There is also quite a lengthy article in same issue by Dr. RANKIN in which he pictures Chillicothe and surrounding country as almost the garden spot of the world. Do you intend to stay there this winter? Hope if you do your supply of coal will not become exhausted as it almost did at one time last winter. I expect now that I may teach a very short term of school as it seems that I can't do anything else. Have not been to see any thing about it, only talked to one trustee by telephone. Lola will begin her school 14th. I don't much want to teach this school as I had intended not to teach this winter. We took the children to Gentry's show last week, saw Mrs. CONNOR, Erskine, and several others from down there. There is to be a social entertainment tonight at Mr. GRANTS, where Mr. WILLIAMS lived but of course I will not go unless I could feel more like going than I do now. Hope to feel better soon but thought this would be better than not writing at all as you perhaps would be expecting a letter form me this week. With all my love Belle |
This is the last letter we have, ending about a year and two months before Thomas Wilson Anderson, Jr., died. It could be there were other letters written and lost, that he lived the last few months of his life in Red River County so letters were not necessary, that she died, or that the relationship was ended.
The children of Thomas Wilson ANDERSON, Jr., and his wife Emma WILLIAMS are as follows:
Eva Estelle ANDERSON CHAMBERS, born November 6, 1882, married James Joseph CHAMBERS, children include:
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| Alma ANDERSON, born 1884, died August 25, 1901 at age 17 |
| Joe Holt ANDERSON, Sr., married Lena Lorice KERLEY and is described in the following section. |
Flossie Irene ANDERSON NAYLOR, married Olen Homer NAYLOR. Her children include
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