Letters by Lamplight
A Woman's View of Everyday Life in South Texas, 1873-1883
By Lois E. Myers
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Through letters written by one family in post-Reconstruction Texas, Myers shows what life was like in this part of the Old West, from a feminie perspective. The detailed letter of joy and struggle on the frontier remind us, Myers points out, that "broad historical events ... are made up of myriad ordinary lives."
Preface
Introduction
1.Write Often, Telling Everything
Refugio County, 1852-1877
2.A Smiling Providence
Victoria County, November 1877-September 1881
3.A New Lease on Life
Uvalde County, October 1881-March 1882
4.Grace to Conquer
Edwards County, April 1882-March 1884
Afterword
Appendix: Geanealogy of Anna Louisa Wellington and William Clinton Stoner
Notes
Works Cited
Index
She has skillfully woven a tale that offers historical background of the era, family history, and a vivid picture of the daily chores and struggles of a young couple on the Texas frontier after the Civil War... Recommended for Texas libraries of all types and for collections that emphasize frontier and/or women's history.
—CHOICE
"... a rewarding glimpse into everyday life on the frontier."
- Judyth Rigler, Lone Star Library"... a signifcant addition to the her-story of pioneer Texas women."
- Mary M. Fisher, The North San Antonio Times"Myers's work succeeds on all levels: as biography, social history, regional record, literary criticism, and feminist revisionism... The account is ... both cohesive and captivating."
- The Western Historical QuarterlyIf you have ever been fascinated by old family letters and wondered about the rest of the story, you'll appreciate Letters by Lamplight... Just as they bonded Anna to her extended family, those [letters] bond twentieth century readers with their pioneer counterparts.
- Janet Neugebauer, Texas Tech UniversityLOIS E. MYERS is Associate Director of the Baylor Institute for Oral History and Secretary of the Texas Oral History Association.
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