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Judson W. Dennis; Sergeant, Company L, 119th Infantry, American Expeditionary Forces

Judson W. Dennis was a 24 year old farm boy from Model, Tennessee in Stewart County. He was an unmarried farmer and raised tobacco on land he shared with his brother, Tom. From his letters home, we know that he owned a mare, Old Annie, of which he was very fond. We also know he had many friends and was very fond of his brother Tom and wife Minnie's two little girls, Hazel and Helen.

Judson corresponded with his mother Minnie Dunlap Murphy of Granite City, IL and his brother, Thomas Milton Dennis of Tip Top, TN from the time of his departure from Tennessee in Sept. 1917 for Camp Sevier in Greenville, S.C. until days before his death in France in 1918. Following, in chronicological order are those letters, transcribed by his great-niece, Jan Dennis Philpot. Because of the materials with which he sometimes had to write, as well as creases in the paper, it is sometime difficult to make out all he is saying. In these few cases, a ? appears where this is unclear. Following his letters is a transcription of the telegraph informing Tom of his brother's death, as well as a letter from a soldier friend of Jud's who was with him at his death.

Sunday, April 28, 1918 6 p.m. Camp Sevier Greenville, S.C.

Dear Mother-

Will write you a word. I'm well and all (?0 St.?) well. We are almost ready to sail for that country unknown to us soldier boys. We went in quarantine at 12:00 last night. I don't know just how many days we will be in quarantine. You know all troops are quarantined before leaving for overseas. We are willing and ready to sail for we feel it is our duty and a debt we owe to our country to be loyal sons and true to our red, white and blue that shall wave forever. We feel that we are going to be cared for and someday return back to our own native land of the free.

The girls of Greenville gave the soldier boys a farewell reception at all the dance halls in Greenville last night. They sure did treat us so nice. We shall never forget them for the ladies and girls of Greenville have certainly treated us good during our stay in camp.

Well we have been busy all day. Stamping and checking up all our things. I wrote Tom today and I sent him a pair of shoes the other day. I didn't say anything in his letter about me sending them. Tell him when he writes to tell me if he got them or not.

How is Albert? Hope he is well by now. Well I will not write much this time. I will write you again soon. I'm going to give you a few letters to use for signs when we are leaving places and etc.

(this will mean)
ab=we are leaving camp.
ac.=we are leaving (port for overseas)

Your son,
Corp. Judson Dennis

Don't answer until you hear from me again. I will drop you a card when to write. Now I don't want you to be uneasy or worry about me for we are going to make it all right. Your son.

Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information on The Olive Tree Genealogy pages, all transcriptions are subject to human error, and researchers should always check the original source of any list.

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