My Mother's Grandparents

My Great Grandfather on Mother's side was John Barry, who lived in Clarksville, Texas.   Clarksville is in northeast Texas on the Red River which borders Oklahoma.

John borrowed money from an uncle in Fort Worth and bought a wholesale grocery business. He planned to operate it with his brother Jasper Barry, whose nickname was "Jap".  John spent the summer of 1890 in Louisville, Kentucky to attend Bryant & Stratton business college (the school still exists today.)

While he was in Louisville John met Annie Barthel.  She was also attending business school, learning to keep the books for the "Steam Laundry and Carpet Beating Works."

John and Annie went out together a few times and then he had to leave for home. But they began a year-long correspondence that concluded when they married in June of 1891. Here I will post examples of the love letters they wrote on letterheads from each establishment, the Wholesale Grocery Store in Clarksville and the laundry in Louisville. Later on I will post more of their love letters.