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Title
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Letter with envelope by Garland Fields Sr. to Emeline Gillette.
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Rights
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This work is believed to be in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States. For more information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/
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Type
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Text
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Creator
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Fields Jr., Garland and Miller, Bill
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Date
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1921/06/21
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Description
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Garland Fields Sr. was the father of Beverly Mills's uncle, Garland Fields Jr. Beverly's grandfather. This first of two love letters describes their courtship and his strong feelings for Emeline, who ultimately did not marry him. Letters had been framed, images attached, and removed for digitization.
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None of Garland’s living descendants seem to know anything about Emeline, so it will probably be never known why the courtship didn’t come to completion.
(Michael Mancuso, NJ.com 2023)
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Format
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Text
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Language
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eng
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Place
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Pennington, NJ
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Publisher
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SSAAM
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Contributor
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Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum
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Extent
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SSAAM
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Subject
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Love letters
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Temporal Coverage
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4 pages, plus envelope
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transcription
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Pennington New Jersey
Monday June 27.1921
My dearest friend,
I suppose you think I have forsakened you. But I havent. I think us surely and would see you yesterday but it wasnt possible for me to get there. I was coming down Wednesday night but I broke my car, and had to leave it in Hopewell and take the trolley back to Glenmore. It is very lonesome for me here now. I thought of you every minute yesterday. I hope you will still think of me and remember I am still a true friend to you.
I received your dear letter Thursday, was very glad to hear from you. And that you injoy read ing my letter. Ive never wrote so muich in my life to any one, before I met you. And now I just want to write all the time. I wrote a letter last thursday morning to you, but I mist the mail man, and I received yours and read it, and then I read mine I had wrote. And it didnt sound right so I didn't send it. I was going to write another Friday and send it. But Willie stayed home tht day, and so I didnt get chance. Was very sorry because I know you was looking for an answer.
I am going to spend all my time writing to you this morning, before the mail carrier comes
[PAGE 2]
2
I suppose you were home yesterday and to day. Did you miss me just a little bit? I know this was the bluest sunday I have ever spent. I would have come down sun day, but I didn't know how the trains run on Central R.R. sundays
I dont know when I will get my car so I can't promise when I will be down. But I hope you will still trust me as a good friend to you.
Even if we cant see each other more often Now Emeline you must write me a long letter and tell me all the news down that way and please write more often. because I like to hear from you. And you are the only one I am receiving mail from.
I feel that you are the only friend I have in the world, and that is because I know you are a true friend.
You said in your letter to come when I could. If you didn't give orders for me not to come at all. I hope that will never happen. But still such a thing could happen. You told me one night that you didn't want another fellow. So I maybe all right. But yet you have never showed that you have much love for me. I know you are [xxxx] at times. But I have [xxxx] over it always, haven’t I? I love you and mean to do whats right with you.
[PAGE 3]
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And trust every thing will come out all right some day. I hope you will write me a nice long sweet letter now, I know you can and by me not seeing you for a whole week, it will give you more time to think of me. And what a good fellow I have been.
I suppose you will go to Somerville to day, when I have been down to see you. You have often told me you were tired, and I laughed at you. And now I know what it is every night. We have supper eight and nine o’clock every night, and soon as I get supper I like to bed. I know it isn’t good for me but, I am to blue to stay up. I am alright until night comes, and then I get thinking of my dear friend at south branch, now. I used to tease her when she wanted to kist and I didn’t want her to. And I would put the yarn in my pocket. And then she would say I just want to finish this one now out, and I would give it back to her, and she would keep right on if I didn’t stop her.
And how I used to beg her for a kiss, and she making out she didn’t want to kiss me because she was tired. I often laugh to my self. What patience a mother must have with a child. I hope you will incourage my saying you see me a gain. I must close now with all my love to you, hoping to see you soon.
I am ever Garland
[PAGE 4]
P.S.
It is after ten oclock now and I havent done anything yet, and mr Lane just told me [Xxxx] was coming home afternoon so now you know Ive got to work some to show my lost time.
Sincerely Garland - .
[PAGE 5]
Miss [Xxxx] Emeline Gillette
Neshanic Sta
New Jersey
R.F. Xxxxx
T[…] Wheton.
[PAGE 6]
[Framed Letter with envelope by Garland Fields Sr. to Emeline Gillette]
