seemed almost an age since I parted from you. O that fateful night, it seemed as if my heart was breaking then. But, it is not best to despair the sun often shines brighter after a storm. The words of the plaintiff hymn are often wringing in my ear. When shall we meet again, meet never to server.

I am going to Church this evening but it will be lonesome, as it will remind me of you and Home.
Good Bye, Write Soon.

From your ever faithful friend,

William A. DeLong

To E.A.W.

Direct to William A. DeLong

Submitted by Bobbi Guerrero E-Mail: bobbig@gte.net
(William and Eva are her mother's grandparents.)

Here is Bobbi's lineage back to the first North American Delong: Barbara Grace Wood (me), Grace Winifred Harvey, Winifred R. C.. Delong, William Asa DeLong (who wrote the above letter) , Harry John Delong, James DeLang, Jacobus Delong, Jan Johannes Delong, Arie Fransen Delong.

Gravestone of W. A. DeLong

More about the letter . . .

William has enlisted in the Union Army and is writing to his true love, Eva Wilcox. According to the information we have, William was born on July 15, 1843 and Evelyn (Eva) was born December 28, 2843. In the first letter we have, he is 18 and she is 17. The William he refers to in the letters is her older brother.

They were married December 5, 1864 and had four children; Mary Adella (Della), 10/4/1865 , Herman Adelbert 2/1/1868, Harry Benjamin 9/4/1875, and Winifred 2/4/1884, (my grandmother). They both lived to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 1914.

(from letters transcribed by Karen O. Smith)