You…Why Don’t You Write

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back postcard, postmarked August 23, 1907 from Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania. Publisher unknown.

Price: $15.00

Here’s another from 1907, and one of those ones that are just as great on the front as the back. The front shows a print in dark blue of an Indian wearing a blanket and a headdress with two feathers. His back is facing us, and he is walking toward several teepees. The background is tan, yellowed more now with age, and with the word “You” to his left and then “Why Don’t You Write” on his right. Talk about straight and to the point, eh? Just like the last post.

The back shows the beautiful pen and ink type drawing of the mail carrier running to deliver the postcard. One of the best postcard backs ever!

Addressed to: “Miss Lillie Dundor, Womelsdorf, Penna, Burks Co.”
and on the front of the card is written “May G.” who is the sender.

Lillie Dundor is likely the Lillie K. Dundor born November 2, 1881 in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, daughter of Darius W. Dundor and Amanda Kurr (from Lillie’s death certificate showing she died in West Reading, PA in 1955.) The 1900 Federal Census taken in Womelsdorf shows the parents, and Lillie Katie Dundor, and Lillie’s younger sister Beulah Annie. This 1900 census lists D.W. Dundor’s occupation as Physician. The 1940 census shows Lillie as single, head of household, owning the residence at 15 High Street, in Womelsdorf; living with her are her sister, brother-in-law, niece and a boarder: Beulah D. Hackman, Charles K. Hackman, Betty V. Hackman, and Charles F. Schaeffer.

Sources: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963 [database on-line].

Year: 1900; Census Place: Womelsdorf, Berks, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1377; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0025; FHL microfilm: 1241377 (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1940; Census Place: Womelsdorf, Berks, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3436; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 6-114 (Ancestry.com)

Why On Earth Don’t You Write

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Annieoakley

There is a Cora A. Seeley, age about 32, single, listed as a servant on the 1905 New York State Census, Saratoga County, living with Herbert A. Shaw, his wife Edna, and daughter Mary. Curiously, the census taker only marked an “x” in the place for city. The 1900 Federal Census for Milton (just southeast of Rock City Falls) shows Cora listed as “foster sister” to Herbert Shaw. Cora was born in New York, November 1872 according to this census.

The unknown sender of this card did not write a message to Cora, but mailed it from Rochester, Minnesota (exact date unreadable). I love the postcard header though, with it’s heart design in the middle and it’s surrounding Art Nouveau lines that incorporate two leaves flanking the header. And note the “wings” that flank the center portion above the heart. The front is a bit unusual, depending on how this strikes you, a little stark perhaps, a little odd with the red-orange earth that looks more like a basketball than anything. It’s copyrighted by M. Stein, 1907 of The Stein Company out of Chicago.

Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked 1907 from Rochester, Minnesota. The Stein Co., Publishers, Importers, Jobbers, Chicago, Illinois.

Price: $10.00

Sources: New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: E.D. 07; City: Milton; County: Saratoga; Page: 3 (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1900; Census Place: Milton, Saratoga, New York; Roll: 1158; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0119; FHL microfilm: 1241158 (Ancestry.com)

South Burdick St., Kalamazoo, Michigan

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Annieoakley

“Will write later and tell you why I did not get out there. Minnie McManus, 411 Asylum Ave, Kalamazoo Mich. PS. I will only be here two weeks longer then I will go back to Frankfort.” Minnie reiterated at the bottom of the card, “I will only be here two weeks longer.”

An undivided back postcard that was not postmarked until 1909, and showing a print of a great old photo of a view looking down (or up 😉 ) Burdick Street in Kalamazoo, showing streetcar or trolley tracks, buildings and shops, pedestrians and horse and buggies. (Horse and buggy as my Grandpa Oliver would say – when guessing what was in a wrapped birthday or Christmas gift – “A horse and buggy?” ) The Labadie Art Co. sign is easily read on the left. Just next to them is the Imperial Tea Co.

Labadie Art Company at 146 South Burdick, was advertised in the 1906 Kalamazoo city directory as (Edmund E. Labadie), Picture Frames, Portraits, Artists’ Materials and Art Goods. The Imperial Tea Co.’s address was 148 South Burdick (same city directory) and they were advertised as (Alfred Hicks) Coffees, Teas, Spices and Baking Powder.

Frankfort, that is mentioned in Minnie’s message, is a city in Benzie County, on Lake Michigan, southwest of Traverse City, and from the sound of it, Minnie lived in Frankfort or the surrounding area. So, in looking there we find the 1910 Federal Census for Lake Ann Village, Almira Township, Benzie County, (Lake Ann is inland, about halfway between Frankfort and Traverse City) showing Minnie McManus, single, age about 37, born in Canada, occupation public school teacher. She is boarding at the home of Louis E. Knodel, and his wife Ida and daughter Ruth; also boarding are James Rosenberry, and Ella MacManus[?] This last name is difficult to read. If it is MacManus then that would be quite a coincidence, as Ella is a public school teacher, also. Note the difference in spelling of McManus and MacManus. Besides the spelling of the last names, the ladies’ parents’ places of birth are not identical, so they do not seem to be sisters.

Minnie addressed the postcard to: “Mrs. G. A. Wallbaum, Hope, N.D.”
Nothing definite was found online for the addressee. Hope is a small town in Steele County, North Dakota.

Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked June 1909 from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Publisher: Owens Brothers. Printer: Hillson Co., Boston, Berlin and Leipzig. Number and series: 1000 E., 80424. Circa 1900 – 1906.

Price: $12.00

Sources: R. L. Polk & Co.’s Ihling Bros. & Everard’s Kalamazoo City and County Directory, 1906. pp. 328 and 364. (Google eBooks)

Year: 1910; Census Place: Almira, Benzie, Michigan; Roll: T624_637; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0001; FHL microfilm: 1374650. (Ancestry.com)

Steamer Northumberland

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked September 20, 1905, Chicago, Illinois. Publisher unknown.

Availability Status: SOLD

Here’s the third postcard in the Dr. Oswald Henning Collection. We may come across more, you never know! The caption for this one is: Steamer Northumberland Going Out Of Summerside Harbor, P.E.I.” and shows an old photo of S.S. Northumberland, in an oval setting bordered with laurel leaves, and ribbon and with what appears to be a simplified drawing or painting for the Canadian flag at that time.

According to an article in the blog Sailstrait, the 2,500 horsepower steamer was the “pride of the fleet” for the Charlottetown Steam Navigation Company; was built in Great Britain at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1891; and for two and a half decades ran between Charlottetown and Pictou, and Summerside and Pointe du Chene. (See first source below for a more detailed description.) The vessel was later moved to Lake Ontario for the Port Dalhousie to Toronto service and refitted as an excursion steamer. She operated till she was (sadly) destroyed by fire in 1949. The following photo (now in the public domain) is from about 1940, and was found on the website Maritime History of the Great Lakes, and shows S.S. Northumberland as she enters Port Dalhousie.

However, since this postcard is from 1905, the sender would have boarded S.S. Northumberland as she first appeared in the top image. Our 1905 traveler wrote, “Monday morning: – Will leave on the boat Tuesday morning. and will arrive in Chicago, Thursday at 10:02 a.m. if I make connections. Helen.”

The card is addressed to: “Dr. Oswald F. Henning. Bethesda Home. 30 Belden Court. Chicago, Ill. U.S.A.”

Per the prior post, Dr. Oswald Henning, along with brother Otto, was on the board of directors for Bethesda Home which was initially a training facility for nurses, and afterward a home for the elderly. His father, Frank Henning was president of the Home.

Sources: “The S.S. Northumberland of Northumberland Straight.” Sailstrait, Feb. 2, 2014. Web accessed Sep. 19, 2014. [http://sailstrait.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/the-s-s-northumberland-of-northmberland-strait/]

“S.S. Northumberland.” Maritime History of the Great Lakes, n.d. Web accessed Sep. 19, 2014. [http://images.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/1659/data]

“Red Ensign vs Union Jack.” Canadiansoldiers.com (CSC), Nov. 10, 2007. Web accessed Sep. 20, 2014. [http://www.network54.com/Forum/28173/thread/1194727342/Red+Ensign+vs+Union+Jack]

Regal Young Woman

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Annieoakley

What if this is the little girl of the prior post all grown up? But no, they really don’t look that much alike, and the time frames are backwards anyway; it was just fun to entertain the idea, fleetingly, and left me with the hope that I find a set like that some day. This one was a little hard to give a title to, but the word regal keeps coming to mind for the pose and demeanor of this beautiful dark-haired young woman. She wears a white or very light-colored high-necked blouse, the sleeves of which go past the elbow and are wide-cuffed to match the collar; a long skirt of a dark color; and a fabric belt with a metal buckle. Her hair is swept up in a Gibson Girl style crowned with a wreath of small flowers, which we can’t see too much of, due to the wreath setting back somewhat and the angle of the shot. At first glance that might appear to be a large corsage fastened to the blouse but after a closer look seems to be something that happened afterward to the postcard. The horizontal lines running almost all the way across the card are part of the story, too. So, this postcard must have had something laying on top of it that created some impressions. The lines are a fascinating effect, really. The photo backdrop depicts a stone archway with some plants next to the base of the arch (of which we only see one side) and this gives the impression that the woman has made an entrance, and then paused to gaze off into the distance.

The stamp box here is an Aristo with bird logo, the word “Trademark” and the phrase “Place One-Cent Stamp Here.” This particular Aristo style is estimated to be from about 1905 – 1907, according to the excellent Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City website.

Undivided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. Aristo stamp box. Circa 1905 – 1907.

Price: $10.00

Source: Guide to Real Photo Postcards. Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City. Accessed 12 Sep 2014 (http://www.metropostcard.com/guiderealphoto.html)

T’is The Wise That Visit

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked May 22, 1907 in Des Moines, Iowa. Publisher possibly R. L. Wells.

Price: $15.00

Owl on tree branch with red moon in the background, with the caption “Tis the wise that visit.”

The sender wrote: “S.M. Anne: Send me by return mail pattern for your blk skrt; one with a cluster of tucks at front, back, and sides. Yours lovingly, Jo.” Inside the owl drawing Jo wrote, “Will write – later” and on the side, “How many yards / how wide did you get?”

Postcard addressed to: “Miss Annie Friyouf, Plymouth Iowa, Cerro Gordo Co”

Anne Friyouf turns up on the 1930 Federal Census for Plymouth, Iowa, as Anna Bliem, widowed head of household, born Iowa, about 1884, married at about age 31. Living with her is her widowed mother Barbara Friyouf, born Czechoslovakia about 1842; sister Mary Friyouf, single, born Czechoslovakia about 1872; and sister Barbara V.[?] Friyouf, single, born Czechoslovakia about 1874. No one in the family is listed as having an occupation on this census.

Anna married John Bliem on August 30, 1915 in Mason City, Iowa. The marriage record shows Anna as born about 1884 in Plymouth, Iowa and that her parents are Joseph Friyouf and Barbara Mar…k? (original image not available from online source.) John Bliem was born in New York City, age at time of marriage about 49, and his parents are John Bliem and Clara Claus.

The 1940 census, which shows Anna as head of household and includes her sisters, is very interesting in that it states Anna’s occupation is Postmaster. National Archives (NARA) records shows she was nominated for the post on April 23, 1934, was confirmed on May 7th, and that she retired on December 31, 1949. You might be surprised (as I was) to learn that it was not uncommon for women to be appointed as Postmaster (this is the official title, though some say Postmistress.) There were women postmasters before the Revolutionary War when the country was still under British rule, and in fact (without going into much researching and comparison) on May 5, 2008, in the United States, there were more women than men holding the position. The NARA website indicates also that it was common in rural areas for women to be appointed.

As far as Jo, the sender of the postcard, it’s possible she was a relative. There is a Josephine Friyouf showing up in city directories in Des Moines. Regarding the publisher, this info is not given but similar postcards found online show a copyright mark for R. L. Wells.

Sources: “Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934,” index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJNP-46Y : accessed 11 Aug 2014), John Bliem and Anna Friyouf, 30 Aug 1915; citing Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa, United States; FHL microfilm 1481039.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Falls, Cerro Gordo, Iowa; Roll: 647; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0006; Image: 695.0; FHL microfilm: 2340382. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1940; Census Place: Plymouth, Cerro Gordo, Iowa; Roll: T627_1146; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 17-8. (Ancestry.com)

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832-Sept. 30, 1971; Roll #: 36; Archive Publication #: M841. (Ancestry.com)

“Post Office Records” National Archives Records Administration. Web accessed 12 Aug 2014.

“Women Postmasters” United States Postal Service. July 2008. Web accessed 12 Aug 2014.

Woman With Shoulder Yoke

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back, unused postcard. Publisher unknown. Circa 1901 – 1907.

Price: $5.00

This postcard shows an artist’s close-up view of a beautiful dark-haired young woman gazing off into the distance. She wears a lace head covering, a grey blouse or dress, with a red collar or necklace, and a wooden shoulder yoke used for carrying buckets. There are several windmills in the background. I am not sure what the pom-pom looking things are that are attached at each side of the yoke.

There is no visible artist’s signature, nor publisher information, but since this is an undivided back postcard, presumably printed in the U.S., the date would be from December 24, 1901 up until March 1, 1907.

Royal Avenue, Belfast, Ireland

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back, unused postcard. Publisher: The Valentine Company. Circa 1901.

Price: $4.00

Turn of the century image in pale aqua and black of Royal Avenue in Belfast. This is a photo that has appeared in several incarnations. Sepia toned or black and white, and some with a little more of the original photo showing. You can see how this one here is a little faded out at the bottom. But in any case, it’s a lovely spot to lose ourselves in for a moment or two. Those are horse-drawn double decker trolleys in the photo, and we can estimate the date of the card as circa 1901 for two reasons: A similar “Valentine’s Series” card was found online of a Dublin view dated 1901 by the sender, and Great Britain did not allow divided back postcards till 1902.

Looking For A Letter

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Annieoakley

Hazy country scene in fall or winter showing some bare deciduous trees and the sunrise or sunset through the mist. This is from the pre-divided back era, so the sender wrote a short one line, and signed it. The front shows, “I’m looking for a letter – Lilian” The back is addressed to “Miss Lucile Evans, Covington, Indiana.” The postmark is hard to read. It looks like it was sent from Indiana, you can barely see the “IND.” The city name looks like it might end in “rsburg.” The date also is really hard to pick out – Jan for January but the year is too light to read. Approximate date is 1906 because of the divided back era beginning March 1st, 1907.

There is a Lucile Evans on the 1900 Federal Census taken in Covington, Troy Township, Fountain County, Indiana. She is about ten years old, born November 1889. Her parents are John and Emma Evans, and she has brother, Emerson, age four. All are born in Indiana. John Evans’ occupation is abstracter of titles. Nothing else is showing up in online records that would fit, so this is likely the right Lucile Evans, and she would have been about 16 when she’d received this postcard from Lilian.

Undivided back, used postcard. Postmarked in unknown city in Indiana, date January, year unknown, circa 1906.

Price: $4.00

Source: Year: 1900; Census Place: Troy, Fountain, Indiana; Roll: 370; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0073; FHL microfilm: 1240370. (Ancestry.com)

Bunnies Painting Easter Egg

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Annieoakley

Undivided back postcard, not postmarked but with writing. Dated by the sender March 29, 1906. Card has tape yellowed with age in three of it’s four corners. Publisher: Raphael Tuck & Sons.

Availability status: SOLD

A wonderful Tuck’s scene of three brown bunnies; one is up on a ladder painting a large egg red; a second is stirring the pot of red paint, while the third looks on. The egg is nestled in grass and forget-me-nots, and the cursive Easter Greetings appears in the left top corner.

Our wandering sender, at that time in Los Angeles, dated this card March 29, 1906 and wrote, “Dear Mama McGinn. What is the matter. You never write. You are surely not angry. With best wishes. Good by. Daniel [?]” On the left side is written, “I am wandering again but I am going to stop it pretty soon.”

The card is addressed to “Mrs. J. W. McGinn, Stent. Cal., Tuolomne Co.”

The signature on the card is hard to read; it certainly starts with D-a- and the third letter is likely an n – when comparing the other n’s in the handwriting. Of course, it may be impossible to say for sure, but possibly the sender is Daniel McGinn, who appears as the son of John and Bridget McGinn on the 1870 Federal Census taken in Tuolumne County, Township 3. (Name spelled McGin.) John McGin, a miner, born Ireland about 1820, his wife, Bridget (Mrs. J. W. McGinn on the postcard?), born Ireland about 1829. Their children, ages 11 to 2 and 1/2, are Martin, W. A., Daniel, Edward, Mary, John, Margaret, Ann, M. C. and C. J….The 1900 census shows Bridget (widowed), Michael, William, Daniel, Edward, John and Annie. The older boys are all mining quartz, and the youngest boy on this census, John, is farming. The McGinn Family is one of the oldest in the district, according to a 1909 publication (Tuolumne County, California: Being a Frank, Fair and…) The 1910 census, Tuolumne County, 4th District shows Daniel (single) and living on his own, mining quartz. (So, did the wanderer settle down?)

The town of Stent was originally called Poverty Hill, and started out as a placer camp in the early 1850s. Later it became prosperous as a hardrock mining center, and also served as a supply center for many of the area’s mines. The name Poverty Hill was ironic, since it ended up producing over 15 million dollars in gold. The celebrated American author and poet Bret Harte (1836-1902) wrote about Poverty Hill, and the town is also known as the site of the famous Jumper mine, known for it’s specimen (nugget type) gold. Most accounts about Stent list the fire of 1906, (there were actually two fires in Stent’s history) but the details vary for exactly how destructive the well known ’06 fire was. A September 1, 1906 account in the Los Angeles Herald shows:

“Stent Destroyed by Fire – SONORA, Cal., Aug. 31. – Every business house in the town of Stent, three miles from Jamestown, was destroyed by fire this afternoon. Thirty-three structures were burned to the ground. The loss is estimated at $75,000. Stent at one time was one of the leading mining centers of California.”

It’s interesting to see that our postcard here was sent just about six months prior to the unfortunate ’06 blaze. Below is a photo and wonderful description and history of the town of Stent, too good not to include the whole paragraph, appearing in the aforementioned 1909 publication with the very long title (Tuolumne County, California: Being a Frank, Fair and…)

“Stent. To the Argonaut far away from and unfamiliar with the happenings in the county he once called home this name means nothing. Say ‘Poverty Hill,’ and the veil is lifted. Some of the old-timers will tell you to-day that the change from a historical name to a meaningless one was what afterward caused the star of ill fortune to twinkle malignantly over the town. Poverty Hill was a great camp in the early days, but its placer diggings were shallow and soon worked out. Then came the long lethargic period of depression that the few inhabitants withstood as best they could and which was occasionally broken by far separated reports of good ore being found in some of the quartz mines. But this rekindling of the fires of hope brought on only a bright flash, invariably followed by the flame dying down to a mere flicker. Early in the ’90s, however, came the big boom in Mother lode mines. The great Jumper, a short distance out of town, was soon ‘coughing up’ a stream of gold, other claims were paying, people flocked in, buildings were hurried up and soon a lively little city was on the map. Then came the serious mistake of formally re-christening the place Stent, after a mining man who apparently occupied the topmost position on the wave of prosperity. Later the step was regretted. Twice the town was visited by disastrous fires, the two very nearly wiping it out. It is now but a shadow of its former self, but the people still there are of a good class and will be early on the ground when the next boom hits Stent, as sooner or later it must.”

Sources: http://www.malakoff.com/goldcountry/stent.htm

http://tchistory.org/TCHISTORY/Jamestown.htm

http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19060901.2.11

Los Angeles Herald, Vol. 33, Number 336. 1 September 1906. (California Newspaper Digital Collection) http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19060901.2.11#

Tuolumne County, California: Being a Frank, Fair and Accurate Exposition, Pictorially and Otherwise, of the Resources and Possibilities of This Magnificent Section of California. J. A. Van Harlingen & Co., Printers and Publishers, Sonora, California. Copyrighted 1909 by the Union Democrat, Sonora, California. (Google eBook)

Ancestry.com. California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Great Registers, 1866–1898. Microfilm, 185 rolls. California State Library, Sacramento, California.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 3, Tuolumne, California; Roll: M593_93; Page: 365A; Image: 129; Family History Library Film: 545592. Year: 1900; Census Place: Township 6, Tuolumne, California; Roll: 116; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0130; FHL microfilm: 1240116. Year: 1910; Census Place: Township 4, Tuolumne, California; Roll: T624_111; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0168; FHL microfilm: 1374124.(Ancestry.com)

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