INTRODUCTION

Edward ("Ned") was born August 1st, 1876 in North Waterford, Maine. His father, George Frye Greene, is said to have died in a fall from his North Waterford barn roof on September 23rd, 1883, when Ed was just 7 years old. Ed, his sister Alice, and their mother Deborah (Rideout) Greene, grew up in South Paris, Maine, where the family moved in 1882, shortly before Ed's father died. Ed graduated from South Paris High School in 1894. At the time of these letters, Ed worked on the Grand Trunk railroad at least part-time. He was fireman on the Norway Branch locomotive and also worked in the line's Gorham, NH, paint shop. Ed was also working for the Paris Manufacturing Company where he started summers while still in school. Later "the sled factory" became his career employer. He worked in the paint shop decorating furniture, skis, and sleds. He was already interested in photography (as had been his father), was an avid bicyclist (a member of the Paris Wheel Club in the 1890s), an artist (one of these letters was written from Boston where he attended the prestigious Cowles Art School), and took a correspondence course in drafting. His drafting skills were employed on the plans for major expansion of the South Paris High School, and his photos of South Paris people, places, and events, and of the Grand Trunk railroad, have been published extensively. Throughout his life, Ed was active in the Congregational Church where her served as clerk, deacon, and Sunday school teacher.

Ruth (later "Gertie") was born June 2nd, 1878 in Bangor, Maine. Her parents were Alphonso ("Phon") Clarence Jones of Levant, Maine, and Abba Ella (Knight) of Portland, Maine. Ruth's family moved to South Paris about one year after her birth. She had a brother, Walter Shirley, and sisters Marion Winifred and Margaret Bancroft. She graduated from South Paris High School in 1895, and in the period covered by these letters taught in South Paris public schools, attended Farmington State Normal School (for teacher training), and taught in New Gloucester and East Poland. She was a founding member of the Seneca Club in 1893, and served in the organization most of her life. (I have many of her presentations to this literary society.) Seneca Club fund-raising led to establishment of the South Paris Public Library. Ruth was also active in the Congregational Church, teaching Sunday school, serving as a deaconess, and a member of the Fidelis and Opportunity classes, Women's Fellowship, and Ladies Circle. She was a long-time member and officer of the W.C.T.U.

Ed and Ruth were married June 5th, 1901. The wedding took place in the parlor of "The Haskell House," 7 Main Street, next door to the South Paris Congregational Church. The Haskells were related to Ed's mother whose sister, Harriet Rideout, married Ezekiel Haskell. It was a double wedding, the other couple being Ed's sister Alice, who married Charles H. Howard.

My comments are presented in italics. Wherever possible I've retained original (mis)spellings, capitalization, etc. Note that in addition to "Ned", Ed seems to use several pet-names including "Hubby," "Duddy," "Moses," "Ike," and what appears to be "Jene" or "Jenes."

Based on the pencil numbers found on some letters and references to letters I do not have, these represent just a small fraction of Ed and Ruth's correspondence from 1897 through 1901. There are large gaps in time between some sets of letters. Presumably these represent periods when both Ed and Ruth were in South Paris with no need to correspond by mail. Despite the gaps, the letters give a good feel for the affection between the couple, as well as a fair sampling of how they spent their time.