This is the final letter written by JW Gailey's youngest
daughter Eva Eula (Gailey) Fry before her tragic passing on August, 6th 1930
following childbirth. This letter was written to Eva's sister Cordelia, who
owned and operated a tourist camp (early day motel) with her husband Dee Lee in
Merkel, Texas. Eva, huband Bert, and five year old son MC Fry were in Tom Green
County near the community of Harriett at this time. Eva was seven or eight months pregnant when she wrote the letter.
Eva was born at her parents, John William and Mary Ann Ada
(Bigham) Gailey's, home near where Eastland and Erath counties meet on January
6, 1903. She was the ninth and final child of JW and Mary. Sadly Mary would die
July 14, 1904, when Eva was just a year and a half old. Eva's sister Mary
dropped out of school to care for Eva and would continue to look after her
until adulthood. In 1914 JW remarried and would eventually move to San Angelo,
Texas due to health reasons in 1918. Much of the family stayed at or near the
Eastland and Erath County ranch land but Eva moved to San Angelo with her father
and sister Mary and her new family. JW passed away just days after Eva's 19th
birthday. By 20 years of age Eva married Bert Monroe Fry and they would make
their home near San Angelo on land she inherited from her father's estate.
The letter reads as follows:
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San Angelo, Texas
June 1930
Dear Cordelia and Dee,
I have not heard from you in ages what are you doing for
your self? I am getting fatter and
fatter each day. Do you hear from Selma and Pernia? I have not heard from them
in a long time.
Our crop looks fine but late. Our old hens are laying good
and I sell from eight to ten lbs of butter per week. We still have chickens to
eat. Come over we are going to have red beans today.
The B. Meeting is going on at Harriett. I have not seen Mary
in two weeks.
Are you doing good with your camp now? What is Nick and C.F.
doing for a living? Do they have a crop or cows or working for wages or what? I
do not hear from them.
M.C. is sure growing and getting so big and mean. I do not
know one thing to write so I guess you are tired of questions.
Route 2 Box 208
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In the letter Eva asks questions about her brother Nick (and
wife Selma) and sister Pernia (and husband C.F. Jones). She also mentions not
seeing her sister Mary Gailey Eubank in two weeks and they did not live far
from each other. It is safe to assume that Eva had her questions answered
either via a return letter or by a visit Cordelia and Dee had with her on July
3rd and 4th 1930.
This source of the letter is the MC and Edna Fry Collection.