John Wesley Martin was born in 1822 and died on March 27, 1891. He married Caroline Campbell on July 16, 1868. At the time, he was 46 years old and she was 20. Caroline died February 22, 1871.
However, Caroline was not John W.'s first love. Here are transcriptions of two letters from John W. to other women (Rebecca and Sarah) professing his love.
LETTER NUMBER 1
Russell County, Va December 15th 1862
Dear Miss it with no small degree of pleasure that I take my pen in hand this evening to drop you one more of my little notes it may fall upon your ear as an old song unheard or lisen to but I hope better things of you Miss Rebecca.
There is two things that trouble my mind greatly one of them I nor you can amend nor better the case but the other is in your power to settle.
The first is this unjust and unholy War the other is you Miss Rebec my heart has been greived a great deal about you since last spring I have tried to frowned my giref and sorrow as I was passing up and down the road by looking at the growing corn the waveing wheat the green foiliage the flowers after all this my mind would still wander back to that sweet and lovely form of yours. I will not say that my love is seventy seven times hoter than melted lead But I will tell you what I do say there never was such love filled the heart of man as mine is for you Miss Rebecca.
I would ask you sentimentally confidentially and religiously why you done as you did last fall and wi[...] you threw every inducement and every inference that a lady could produce to make me love you at home at meeting and in fact every where I saw you I remember well the night before Dr Ferguson had a little gathering I had your sympathys till a late hour in the night not to intrude upon your ladyship and then before it was light you was up with your love and affections renewed assure me if I would stay and go with you to Doctors you knew that I would be welcome But I had to return home as I thought it looked manly not to stay with you too long but hated to leave you very much with many other times and places I could refer to.
I would asked in the name of all that is sacrad and good what have I said or done to you that all this coldness exist to ward me you know me all your life when I came to see you last winter I was honest enough to tell you I was coming there for a wife I asked you for your objections then you said you and none but some body down there has objections to me marry you. Miss Rebec you have got me in the valey of dispair where i cant tune nor get off the bogg now I ask Miss Rebeca I know I have my wrongs also my failures and I am sorrow that it is so I know that I am a poor man so much the more pity for me Miss I don't thing I would left you [...] the last night I was at your Fathers [...] every circumstance I have some things of yours I would like to keep some of them an bring you up too if you cant reconcile this to feelings will you permit me to [...] you one more vist.
Dear Miss if all the persons from Mothers down to Henry Campbell had tolled me that I would have been a castaway from your Fathers house I could not have believed them.
Now in conclusion I feel like I could wipe the last tear from your eyes and the last drop of sweat from that sweet and lovely face.
I hope you will write me a satisfactorial answer.
Your affectionate friend
John W. Martin
LETTER NUMBER 2
Russell Co Elk Garden Va
Aug 24th 1865
Dear Miss Sarah I come before you for the first time in all my life, in the shape of above letter. I esteem this a great privelege that I am favored with the opportunity to write to one whom I have for the last two years held as a lady indeed and in truth.
Miss Sarah my first interview with you was going to Mc Cluens Chapel In September nearly two years now you know the connescion how we came to gether. I had not reached half way there before I fell in love with you certain and sure. But my mind got tangled up before I left the place I have labored under many dificulties to ascertain the cause, you the week before the Quartterly Meeting at Town told me the reason; Miss Sarah there is a kind of diffidence or backwardness at every place I see you to ward me since Routh Preached Susan Fergeson Funeral. Miss Sarah I never said or done anything in my life to insult or to hurt your feelings be it fare from me.
Dear Miss Sarah I fell in love with you two years ago I love know nor has there been any space in that time but what I did love you. Miss I have seen you at Town in kitchen at the [...] in the washtub in the Parlor at all these places you have filled a high place in my mind, you have been nothing more nor less than a monument of modesty and virtue.
