TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD FEBRUARY 7, 1919 P. 7
Levans, France, Jan. 6, 1919.
Mr. W. F. Deaver,
Biggers, Ark.
Dear Father and All:
With time and pleasure, I will write you a few lines. This leaves me feeling fine, and I hope you are all well. I am getting as fat as a pig, and never felt better in my life than I do now and hope to continue that way. I hope, when this reaches you, it will find you all well and enjoying life.
I got a pass and went out in town last night, and purchased myself a nice wrist watch.
Haven’t learned to talk much French yet, and don’t guess I will. I was tickled this morning, when I ran across an old boy from home, it was one of the Hager boys, who lives just beyond Biggers. I am not with anyone that I ever knew before I came into the army. I stayed with Clarence Gordon and Oscar Jarrett until I went to the hospital. A boy in the army never sees a stranger, have become acquainted with boys, that I never will forget. We boys all wear the same kind of clothes, eat the same kind of food and are in the army for the same thing.
Has Claud Rice ever come home yet?
I can’t say much about France, only that the people have seemed to enjoy having our boys with them. They are friendly and certainly treat us nice. This country is something like the hills of Arkansas. There are good paved streets and every improvement along that line. It rains a great deal here, but not as hard as I have seen it rain in dear old Arkansas.
Well, I guess I had better close for this time, hoping you get this alright. With love to all,
I am your son,
Ralph W. Deaver,
Classification C., Am. Em. Center,
A.P. O. 762
NOTES: Ralph W. Deaver was born at Attica, Arkansas on October 6, 1896 and died on April 25, 1984. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a Private in the US Army during WWI. He enlisted on September 4, 1918 and was discharged on July 25, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Levans, France, Jan. 6, 1919.
Mr. W. F. Deaver,
Biggers, Ark.
Dear Father and All:
With time and pleasure, I will write you a few lines. This leaves me feeling fine, and I hope you are all well. I am getting as fat as a pig, and never felt better in my life than I do now and hope to continue that way. I hope, when this reaches you, it will find you all well and enjoying life.
I got a pass and went out in town last night, and purchased myself a nice wrist watch.
Haven’t learned to talk much French yet, and don’t guess I will. I was tickled this morning, when I ran across an old boy from home, it was one of the Hager boys, who lives just beyond Biggers. I am not with anyone that I ever knew before I came into the army. I stayed with Clarence Gordon and Oscar Jarrett until I went to the hospital. A boy in the army never sees a stranger, have become acquainted with boys, that I never will forget. We boys all wear the same kind of clothes, eat the same kind of food and are in the army for the same thing.
Has Claud Rice ever come home yet?
I can’t say much about France, only that the people have seemed to enjoy having our boys with them. They are friendly and certainly treat us nice. This country is something like the hills of Arkansas. There are good paved streets and every improvement along that line. It rains a great deal here, but not as hard as I have seen it rain in dear old Arkansas.
Well, I guess I had better close for this time, hoping you get this alright. With love to all,
I am your son,
Ralph W. Deaver,
Classification C., Am. Em. Center,
A.P. O. 762
NOTES: Ralph W. Deaver was born at Attica, Arkansas on October 6, 1896 and died on April 25, 1984. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Pocahontas, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as a Private in the US Army during WWI. He enlisted on September 4, 1918 and was discharged on July 25, 1919.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS