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CLYDA WHEELER, ELIZABETH NEVENS, JEAN ??, et al : 1930 - 1936 ORIGINAL ARCHIVE OF 60 MANUSCRIPT LETTERS HANDWRITTEN BY FIVE [5] DIFFERENT YOUNG WOMEN TO A 14 YEAR OLD WILMORE KANSAS LOTHARIO

12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. On offer is a fascinating, original archive of 60 original romantic manuscript letters remarkably addressed to George Redfield of Wilmore Kansas during the 1930s. Uniquely George received letters from at least 5 different girls and while this might classify him as a western lothario sadly it looks like he never married though many were interested. One of his most fervent correspondents was Clyda Wheeler of Coldwater Kansas. Clyda and George have a very interesting on and off relationship. Clyda eventually married Charles Biddle Gregg of Coldwater on October 3rd, 1936. In one letter Clyda is very upset and tells him off. She says in part: "Dear Geo. I'm sorry I have to start this letter this way but I'm kinda disgusted with you…" Her next letter after this one is a little over a month after and she apologizes for it. The earliest letter is June 3rd, 1930 and the last letter is December 1st, 1936. Here are some snippets: "June 3rd, 1930 Dear Friend, I hardly know what to write. We got her yesterday morning (St. Louis) and I have been on the go ever since. I just got back from Forest Park a little while ago…..Auntie is asleep and Minnie (the darkie) is getting supper. Aunt Alice is upstairs; don't know what for and Curt and my uncle are not here. Well, I'll have to close for now. Your best friend, Elizabeth Nevens. My address is; Miss Elizabeth Nevens 780 Radcliff University City, St. Louis Mo." "June 7th, 1930 Dear George, I just received you letter. I had just got up when Auntie brought them in. I was sure tickled when I found a letter from you. We went to Municipal Opera last night. (Excuse the writing. Junior turned on the radio and the dog is singing. I wish you could hear him. He'd tickle a brass monkey). Well I was starting to tell you about the Municipal Opera, it sure is wonderful. It will hold 12,000,000 people (I think she's got a few two many 000's) and every inch of it natural all of the seats are all made on the side of a big bank. There are two natural trees on each side of the stage. There are over a hundred players. Every week they have a different play. We went to Nina Rasa. Gosh the most beautiful colors you ever saw. We are getting ready to go out to the amusement part of Forest Park. Well I'll have to close. Your truest friend, Elizabeth Nevens." "June 8th, 1931 Salida Colo. [written in the form of a diary about her time spent in Salida] Dear George, Say big boy I was very sorry to hear that you haven't been going to Sunday school. Well I can almost write a book on what I have been doing this week…Sunday we went on a picnic. Uncle Tom, Aunt Stella, Bobby, Tommy, Mrs. Weldon, mother and I. We went to Twin Lakes. We went up in the mountains to eat our lunch. We ate by the rapids and say they are "gorgeous". The water is just like ice and it flows so rapid that it sprays, sometimes five feet in the air. After lunch we went back to the first lake which has a sand beach about a mile wide. All of them stayed there and I went fishing by the lake but I didn't catch anything. We got home about 7:30, listened to the radio and went to bed…Sincerely Jean." "June 13, 1931 Salida Colo. My Dear Friend, I read your letter and it certainly didn't make me feel very good. After the long letter I wrote you I supposed I would at least get a nice answer but I surely didn't. Whoever you heard talking about me were just teasing you but I would like to know who it was. I have not had any dates and also I have not met any boys. I have met some girl friends and I enjoyed them immensely. If you want proof all you have to do is ask mother and dad because I have hardly been anywhere without mother and Mrs. Weldon. Who ever said that is lying because I have not written anything like that. If you can answer without laying me out like you did in your last letter, alright. But it certainly shows that you haven't very much faith in me and you know what that leads to. I have told you the truth and you can believe it or no. Lovingly Jean. Write when you feel like it." "November 26th, 1931 Coldwater Dear George, Well we got home O.K. The clock just struck 8:30 P.M. when we stepped into the hose. I told mother where I had been and she scolded me because she said it wasn't the proper thing to do. So I won't anymore. You'll have to come see me. Oh, say I forgot something I was going to tell you. I'm awful sorry for what I said to nite when we were down town in front of the drug store. You know when I ask Marge to quiet down, you remember how I said it? I'm awful sorry. I'll try harder next time to be a model girl friend (understand "girl friend"). I guess I don't quite understand you, but maybe I will soon….Goodbye till tomorrow nite, Clyda." (In her next letter she asks him if he's gone back to Jean) "December 3rd, 1931 Dear George, Well I might as well make my confession now as never. I went to the dance at Kean Hall Wednesday nite. I danced 4 times and that's all. Now wait a minute before you get mad. I went with my mother. She doesn't dance but she likes to watch them. We didn't have anything to do Wednesday nite and she wanted me to go with her and watch. I didn't think I'd dance but I did. I'm awful sorry but you wont' get mad will you?....You don't need to say anything about John Peppard. I turn him down so flat when he asks me for a date that it's sometimes pitiful….Good bye, with love, Clyda." "January 5th, 1932 Dear, Are you still mad? I hope not. I didn't know whether you wanted me to write to you or not but as I owe you a letter I thought I'd take a chance. I hardly know what to write. It kinda makes me uncomfortable since you told me you didn't like me well enough to go with me anymore. Did you really mean it? (Honey). I don't know whether it's safe to venture that far or not. Is it? I'm lonesome this evening...I hope you will forgive me…With love, (if you want it) Clyda. P.S. If you don't answer this right away I'll know that you didn't want me to write to you." "March 11th, 1932 Dear Geo, I don't consider all our remarks as insults. And I will get along with you alright as long as you don't say anything about Bud. He's a pal of mine and I explained to you about him. I don't go with him every night. I go about 2 times a week and sometimes not that much. You ask me if I liked you. Yes I like you. You see I don't hate anybody. Bud doesn't make his drinking public. Friday nite was the only time I have ever seen him when he was drinking and then it wasn't at home where everybody could see him. I think I can take care of my reputation…..Good By, Clyda." Casual research finds a George H. Redfield in Wilmore, born 22 APR 1916, making him 14 through 20 years old. Overall G+.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good+

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