In 2012, I salvaged the following humorous letter from a local abandoned house - perhaps a 19th century version of on-line dating.  

Nashville, Tenn.

Sept. 30th, 1888

Dear Unknown

Valle Crucis, NC

“I see in my late Cincinnati Enquirer that you wish to open correspondence with gentlemen. I select you from a number of others because you reside near my own state. Virginia is my home, or rather has been, but Tenn. is my adopted state. This being my first letter of the kind, I hope it may fall in good hands and prove agreeable and profitable to us both.

“I wish I knew exactly in what way to address, but of course I don’t. Shall I address you as Miss, Mrs. or Mr. By jove! You might be a Mr. but I’ll run the risk and send it any how. I have thought over this all day. I can imagine one moment that maybe you are a young school girl asking this without your mother’s knowledge or consent. Then again, that you are an old maid ‘with silver threads among the gold.’ Then perchance, a young and charming widow. And after all you might turn up a-one of those goody deedest dudes you know. But I have said I’m going to run the risk so now to business.

“Miss. Excuse me. I mean Mrs. There I’m wrong again. My Unknown. There I have it now. I would be very much pleased to receive an answer from this immediately and please state the following. Via: Your age, weight, color of eyes, hair, number of shoe and glove, facial appearance and religion, or the faith that you were trained up in. And whether you are of Southern or Northern birth. Now you may say who are you? Well I’ll tell you something of myself in general.

“I am a single man of good moral habits. Strictly temperate, belong to no church, but brought up a Baptist, believe in religion however, and hope to die a Christian. In politics, a democrat. Am short of status, weigh one hundred and fifty five pounds, and some people call me handsome – there don’t laugh. I’m good company when I am thrown with those I admire. I am of an affectionate and loving disposition, but with all this, I’m here in the flesh, with no one to call me Hubby. Not that I cannot marry, but just don’t see any that I love and loves me. Now all I have stated are strictly the truth and of course I believe you will do the same. State please whether you wish to correspond merely for amusement or otherwise. I am rather otherwise.

“Now in conclusion I will state as you may readily see that I’m not given to letter writing, so I ask to excuse all imperfections, both in writing and composition.

“Now the clock has just stricken ten and I must retire. So good night my unknown. Tell me how many letters you have received from the advertisement. And now

“May happiness be thy lot

Wherever thou shalt be.

And joy and pleasure light the spot

That may be home to thee.”

Yours respectfully,

Will S. Crowdis

With P. Swan, Union Street, Nashville, Tennessee

"P. S. You will find my card enclosed. Please send photo and oblige."

I later discovered some more details about William S. "Will" Crowdis (ca. 1840-1895). A native Virginian, he appears to have served the Confederacy during the Civil War as a private in Co. B, 12th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He later resided for many years in Nashville, TN where he lived as a boarder and worked as a marble cutter and stone carver, including being employed at one point (as his letter states) by P. Swan, a monument company. He was a widower at the time he wrote the letter above. He died in Nashville in April, 1895 at the age of 55, the cause of his death being morphine poisoning. According to his death record, he was still a widower, so it seems that his letter did not lead to remarriage.