ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140091
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS STAFF WRITER
Who was Jimmy Snyder?
Will Shewey, a 43-year-old circuit minister, has been pondering that question ever since he got a hold of one of Snyder's love letters.
"My love for you is like a young steer in clover," Snyder wrote to his sweetheart on March 6, 1907.
Shewey was pastor at the Main Street Pentecostal Holiness Church in Hillsville when he first saw Snyder's impassioned words of love.
"Some ladies who own a floral shop in Carroll County had found it in an old house in Shawsville," Shewey explained. "They brought it to me. It was yellow and faded and fell apart when we took it out of the envelope."
Shewey has no idea for whom the letter was intended. The salutation read "My Dearest One...."
Because there was no name or address on the envelope, Snyder's inamorata remains a mystery.
Shewey was intrigued - by more than Snyder's nice penmanship. As he began to piece the letter together, he found himself laughing out loud.
"It's humorous," he said. "A lot of the words are written as they would sound in the dialect of this area."
"He obviously really feels something very deeply for this woman," Shewey noted. "I guess he was not only looking for a lover, but a wife."
Shewey spent many hours deciphering the letter and rewriting it on paper that was not torn to pieces.
"It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together," he said. "I wanted to put it in exactly the style it was written."
Shewey, now pastor at four United Methodist churches in the New River Valley, said his congregations enjoy hearing Jimmy Snyder's love story. It's a Valentine's Day treat that always makes them chuckle.
Still, when Shewey reads the letter out loud, he can't help wondering how Jimmy Snyder's love story turned out.
"I would like to know if they got married," he said. "He wrote it 89 years ago, but he might have some grandchildren who would know."
A search of marriage records at the Montgomery County Courthouse turned up no evidence of a wedding in 1907 involving a groom named Jimmy Snyder. And the house in Shawsville where the letter was found has since been torn down.
Hence, there's only one sure thing that can be said about Jimmy Synder. He was head over heels in love!
My Dearest One,
Ever scince I seed you over to Joe's party tuter night, my heart has been jumping a round in my lunch box like a toad frog with a string tied to his leg. My heart and soul goes out after you. My love for you is like a young steer in clover, grows strong day by day scince I first sot my eyes on you. I have loved you with a love that never loses it's grip. On the strings of ropes of my heart.
I've seed many a gal in my life time looked sweet and tempting, but none that could cavot around in a man affections like you and keep up my hope and expectations that nothing else can only satisfy.
Sue was over to our house today and sed you was not half so pretty as folks thought. I can see for my own self and know that you are pretty than somebody else. If you was sugar as it seem like, I would eat you all up at one bite and never want to pick your duds out of my teeth.
I've been sitting here thinking of you and go to work but no use to try for tonight. I think of you and long to kiss your nice plump fat lips. I'll come over to your house next Sun. and bringh my pockets full of nice red mellow apples.
Ma is making soap today. I hope the time will come when you may wash my clothes with it, but I guess now is to soon to talk about sirous matters yet.
Dad went out this morning to run the cows out of the field and stepped in a crack and skined his shin plum up to his knee. He cursed awful and said he is going to kill every cow he sees. I AM GLAD YOU NO COW.
I am going to town next week and git me a pair of britches and gallus in some sort of style. Store bought gallus they say are mighty stilish and I AM GOING TO KEEP UP WITH THE STYLE if it cost me one of my best yearling.
What would you say if I ask you to matrimoy with me? I have got enough to git the licens. $1.50 beside. I guess squire would marry us for that. He knows what marries is, for he want to marry hisself. Please let me hear from you. If it suits you we will hop right in it as soon as I get through mowing tobacca.
Your true lover,
Jimmy Snyder
March 6, 1907
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Gene Dalton. The Rev. Will Shewey. color.by CNB