Francis to Rose, July 22, 1880

Oh, how many men have written letters like this, if not with the exact same words, but with similar thoughts.  Romantic, playing with words, expressing feelings, having fun with a sweetheart.

Francis met Rose in December of 1876. At the time, Rose and Francis were both living in Valley Falls, Kansas. Seven months after their experience with Cupid and his arrows, Francis wrote this letter.  On June 18, 1880 they were engaged to be married, and the blessed event occurred at the Baptist church in Valley Falls on Tuesday Dec 28, 1880. 

Francis was truly a romantic who dearly loved his fiancé and, as can be seen from his letters through the years, he loved and respected Rose to the very end.

Notes:

Francis refers to a visit made by Rose to Wisconsin. This was a trip made by Rose and members of her foster family to New Glarus, Wisconsin.  This visit is mentioned in the local newspaper, the Valley Falls New Era of July 17, 1880:  “Mrs Henry Legler and child, Mrs Mel Legler and child, and Miss Rosa Hefty left last Thursday for a visit to relatives and friends in Wisconsin.”  Rosa’s foster-mother Magdalena Hefty’s maiden name was Legler.

At her mother’s death, Rose at the age of four was adopted by the Heftys. Her three other siblings, all older, remained with their father, Balthasar Heiz, at New Glarus.  New Glarus, Wisconsin was settled by immigrants from Glarus, Switzerland, the families Heiz and Hefty among them. Rose and the Heftys moved from New Glarus in 1866 to settle in Valley Falls. 

Francis mentions in his letter Julia, and Rock Creek. This is Julia Potter Turner.  Rock Creek is Julia’s hometown and in 1880 the current living place of her father Thomas Turner.

Julia was born in 1862, probably at Rock Creek which is some 10 miles southwest of Valley Falls. Julia’s father was Thomas Turner and her mother was Elizabeth King.  Elizabeth was the first teacher at the first school district of Rock Creek in 1859.

In his autobiography Frank writes: "In March 1875 Mother took Julia, cousin Thos Turner’s oldest daughter, whose mother had just died, to our home and she has been since a member of our family.  Mother kept house for me in Valley Falls until my marriage in Dec. 1880. She then made her home with various friends, but chiefly with Julia, at Everest, Holton and Centralia."  While at Valley Falls, Julia was employed as a teacher.

Francis quotes Shakespeare in “Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered".  “Orisons” are prayers and Francis is quoting from the last line of Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy which begins with “To be or Not to Be”.

Source in regard to Elizabeth King Turner:
Cutler, William G. “History of the State of Kansas”. A.T.Andreas. Chicago. 1883