Roy Ritter III

Letters to Janie Lewis: Grassy Meadows, Greenbrier County, West Virginia Roy Ritter III

Letter writing would seem to be a lost art today, but in the 1880?s and 1890?s, the young people of Greenbrier County, West Virginia found much pleasure in exchanging personal correspondence. In West Virginia, public education began only after the end of the Civil War, and these people were enthusiastically using their new writing skills. Janie Lewis, born in Grassy Meadows, Greenbrier County in 1873, saved the letters that she received in her youth, which have been passed down in her family to the present generation. They offer a fascinating account of a changing period in West Virginia history. While strong family ties were evidently important, the young people of Greenbrier were branching out in new directions. Some were pursuing higher education and careers in teaching. Others were lured into the new mining and construction industries, leaving the traditional family farming life. And, of course, romance plays a prominent role in their affairs. Janie received many touching and ardent letters from her suitors. These letters are a wonderful historical artifact that will transport the reader to another time and place.