Dear Sir
Will you Please get me a elictric [electric] lamp and send it in tomorrows mail. I guess you know what I mean I dont know the name of them but I went the bell lamp like they have hanging in the stores in town. truly
yours Russell D. Dunn [?] Java VA[addressed to]
Mr. J.W. Whitehead
Chatham
VA
postmark Java July 9 P.M. 1913 Va.
Postcard is of Belle Grove Plantation, near Chatham, Virginia.
Electricity came to Pittsylvania County in stages. Some areas had it pretty early (presumably Mr. Dunn’s house in Java had it in 1913), and others did not get it until the 1930s (in fact, I have heard of houses being built without electrical service in the 1950s or perhaps even later).