Tag Archives: family

August 15, 1966

This news story from the Hattiesburg American on Monday, August 15, 1966, Page 14, provides a nice summary of what was really going on when Walter and his brother Revah were digging a “well” on the Mississippi property in 1932. It wasn’t a well. Revah believed there was buried treasure on the family farm, and he had enlisted Walter’s aid to help dig for it. I didn’t explain this when I posted those letters because I wanted to wait until we got to this newspaper article.

If you do an internet search for “Franklin County Gold Hole,” you’ll get lots of wild speculation about what’s buried on my family’s land. Of course this is absurd, but that hasn’t stopped all manner of delusional folks from digging there, with or without permission.

In case any erstwhile treasure-seekers have landed on this page, I’ll reiterate what we’ve been telling these people for the past forty years: there’s no treasure buried there, and there never was. Jean Lafitte never passed anywhere nearby, nor did outlaws choose a random spot deep in the woods with no major landmarks to build some kind of robber’s 401(k) plan. The current generation of landowners is also disinclined to let anyone make the artificial lake on the property any bigger, so keep out.

August 15, 1966

July 24, 1961

These receipts are part of Ina’s effort to sell off the cattle from the Dove family farm in Mississippi, which she and Walter had inherited. Ina later gave the land to her three sons, who finished switching the property from cattle ranching and mixed farming to tree farming for lumber and paper pulp. It remains a sustainable tree farm; proceeds from it have helped put three generations of Doves through college.

July 24, 1961

July 16, 1956

After inheriting the Dove family farm in Mississippi, Walter and his sister started managing it. This letter marks the beginning of tree harvesting on the place. Walter’s three sons eventually turned the entire property – just over 700 acres – into a sustainable tree farm for lumber and pulp. It still operates that way today.

July 16, 1956

August 7, 1953

Bemis, Tenn. 8-7-53

Mr. W.E. Dove
Gambrills Md.

Your letter received and I don’t like misinterpreted words. First you try to make it sound like I thought Senie had lied to me. Read the letter again & see if that is right. I stated if you Affirm your statement is right, under same token you would [illegible] admit Senie was wrong [illegible] you and your mother don’t have same wording now who is right? As you know you should have sent me a copy of the will when it was written and by who witnessed and by who acknowledgement by who. Walter I’m not mad or threatening you as you know the Dove farm was under a heavy mortgage when Senie Bond married. She told me so and she is the one who cleared the debt as it stands it was a gift and you & Ethel are no more rights of Justice to all of it than I am, since you and Ethel have through some source took my part. I am now quoting[?] Revah Dec. 1946 said to me while we were on the front porch [illegible] you don’t know Walter & Ethel if Mama was to die they would take every thing here if they can and leave you and me out of the picture and neither of them don’t need [illegible] of it they never stayed here to try to work on it. So this end of quotation of Revah. I’m perfectly willing to meet you Revah Senie & Ethel at the Judgement Bar of God to answer why. Please read the Scripture citations here with enclosed.

J.D.S.

August 7, 1953

I’m not going to transcribe the enclosure. Here’s a scan.

August 7, 1953 (enclosure)

July 20, 1953

This letter and the next one from J.D. Stampley are written in a shaky hand with frequent misspellings, so they’re hard to read. I’m transcribing what I can make out, correcting spelling but not grammar. This appears to be the start of a rather unpleasant disagreement in the family.

Bemis Tenn.
July 20, 1953

Dear Walter

Many thanks to you & Ethel for 25.00 check. Ethel & Marshal were here yesterday a few minutes. She brought me a table cloth, said it was her Mama’s. I do appreciate it so much.

July 20, 1953

Now, about the will to me it don’t make sense you stated I wasn’t mentioned. Your mother said I was. She has also told Enola & Mary & Ida that I was mentioned in the will in 1946. She told me I would share alike as you & Revah & Ethel. Now if you affirm your statement is right by same token you confess your Mother’s statements were wrong, then that leaves your Deceased Mother under the curse of Lying. Bible says all liars will have their part in the lake of Fire. I can’t believe she lied, & about 3 months ago Senie wrote Ida & said she didn’t want me to suffer & if [illegible] thing for her to get it & send her the bill. In 1939 she got on me about church work & I told her I had no way of getting there. She remarked if she bought me a car she would change her papers & show the cost. I thought it too much trouble so we didn’t get the car. Senie has always proved she loved me, and I can’t somehow believe she has thrown me away like you said.

May I have your reply as to what you desire to do.

Thanking you for your reply.

Love to all
J.D. Stampley
P.O. Box 792 Bemis, Tenn.

February 8, 1943

An article in the January 1943 issue of The Country Gentleman magazine featured Walter’s work on insect control and its importance in the war effort. After the piece came out a number of people contacted him. This inquiry is from a genealogist researching Dove ancestry.

February 8, 1943

August 23, 1941

Sat. A.M.
Aug. 23, 1941.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Tommy is 7 months old today. I don’t know how much he weighs, but he is a heap big man. He sits alone on the floor and plays now. No doubt it will not be long before he crawls. He really is a very fine baby.

August 23, 1941

Honey, I employed a Mexican girl to come at 8 o’clock every morning and stay until she washes the dishes after noon. During that time she cleans the house (at least she cleans as much as Mama will let her), and does most of the boys’ and my laundry. I pay her $3.00 a week, although I had a hard time persuading Mama to let me do it.

I must say you were smart to do all of that laundry. I can’t imagine ironing that many shirts.

It is definitely summer time here, but 108º here doesn’t seem as hot as the Panama City temperatures.

We are going to see Reitha this afternoon. She brought her baby to see us when it was a month old. Last Sunday afternoon she carried W.W., L.D., and me to a show. Mama talked to her over the ‘phone this A.M., and she said tell you “hello.” She seems to be happy. Bolivar is making $30 a week keeping books for the construction company at the new air school here, and says he is in line for another raise. He started at $20 per week, was soon raised to $25, and now to $30.

Mama said to tell you she is very proud of your boys, and that she wishes you could take your vacation now in “good, cool Uvalde.”

A few afternoons ago Papa carried W.W., L.D., and me to the Nueces at the La Pryor crossing. The children could only wade though, because the water that was not real shallow was much too deep for them. He plans to take us all to Garner Park Sunday afternoon for a swim and a picnic supper.

Honey, will you please find out how early in Sept. the grammar schools open? The high school opens a week before the others, I believe. Uvalde schools are changing from 11 to 12 grades this year. We have 12 in Panama City. The work here will be rearranged in the grammar grades.

I do hope the control project has been arranged by now.

It is time for the postman.

We think of you lots and wish for you.

Lots of love,
Ina.

P.S. Have the sweeper and the ice cream freezer come? The freezer is not paid for because there had been difficulty in getting that item, and the lady in the Panama City Sears office thought it best to have it shipped to that office C.O.D.

Ina.

January 26, 1941

Stationery from the Plaza Hotel, San Antonio, TX; “Come to San Antonio – the Venice of Texas.”

Sunday Jan. 26

Dearest Ina and Walter and BOYS!

We were so glad to hear the news we hardly knew what to do. We had decided you had changed your minds about the whole thing. I know that weary waiting was terribly trying. Ina, you will stay in the hospital until it’s perfectly safe to go home, won’t you? And then take good care of yourself? It’s so important – to all of us as well as to you.

January 26, 1941

Even though a little girl might have been nice, another boy will be awfully nice – you have a third of a baseball team now, you know. And I’ll bet Lewis Dunbar and Walter White are glad. What on earth will you name him?

Mama and Papa seemed to be recovering nicely from the flu when we left Wednesday. Mama actually stayed in bed 8 days, but Papa was up and down – continued to take his children back and forth. Mama had no cough at all, but Papa did – that seems to go with flu often. Almost everyone in Uvalde has been sick.

B.M. had to fly back to Washington for almost a week, and just now he’s in Gulfport. He left Friday night and I’m expecting him before noon. We’ll probably leave today for Austin, be there tomorrow and then – probably – on to Gulfport. We’ll have to spend some time there, I don’t know how long. We are still hoping to see all of you, but I’ll try to write you more definitely as soon as we know. You know how that goes.

Just this minute had a wire from B.M. that he’s arriving at 2:40 this afternoon to resume the honeymoon.

We enjoyed so much our stay in Uvalde – everyone was lovely. We had a nice trip to the Valley. Dolph is such a cute child – I don’t see how Thelma can even pick him up, but she does. Ina Marie is so anxious for W.W. and L.D. to get back to Uvalde.

Mama has been so glad she didn’t go to your house and get sick; of course, she might not have gotten sick there.

Who does the baby look like? We’re as anxious to see him. And Ina honey, you will take care of yourself, won’t you? We love you so much.

Love and congratulations from both of us.

Claudelle

January 23, 1941

Western Union telegrams.

SAN ANTONIO TX
MRS W E DOVE
AGRICULTURE ENTOMOLOGY PANAMA CITY FLO

DELIGHTED TO HEAR THE NEWS. LOVE AND CONGRATULATIONS.
CLAUDELLE AND B M.

UVALDE TEX 23 934A 1941 JAN 23 AM 10 07
DR AND MRS W E DOVE
105 COVE BLDG PANAMA CITY FLO

CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE BOY
BOB AND THELMA.

So much for expecting a daughter. Walter and Ina’s third son is my father. You can see how he turned out by browsing his blog.

January 23, 1941

December 12, 1940

Regular readers will recall that Claudelle is Ina’s sister, and Gaddis is one of Walter’s colleagues at the USDA, who divorced his first wife in June 1940.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Nicholson Lewis announce the marriage of their daughter Claudelle to Mr. Bevy Marshall Gaddis on Thursday, the twelfth of December Nineteen hundred and forty.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

At Home after the fifteenth of January, Arlington, Virginia.

December 12, 1940