George Carl Loven was born in Burke County, North Carolina, in 1891. In 1893, Cordie Lucretia Phillips was born in Mitchell County. Cordie was a teacher in Ledger, North Carolina, and later was a general store clerk in Spruce Pine. Carl and Cordie met at the Spruce Pine fair. Carl was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War I. The two frequently wrote letters to one another during the war, while Carl was drafted to train in South Carolina and deployed in Europe. Carl fought in France and Belgium, where he suffered a leg wound requiring hospital treatment. After his return to the United States, Carl and Cordie were married in 1920 and settled in Spruce Pine. They had two daughters together, Marjorie and Evelyn. Cordie died in 1963, followed by Carl in 1968.

This collection contains correspondence between George Carl Loven and his future wife, Cordie Phillips Loven from 1917-1920. Correspondence is organized by date where applicable. Undated materials may be able to be dated through further research. The collection’s legal papers contain a biographical statement of the relationship between George Carl Loven and Cordie Phillips Loven, as well as copies of several military documents and birth certificates, and a few photographs.