Monthly Archives: March 2016

The Henderson Sisters, Oakland CA, 1912

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The Henderson Sisters Oakland CA 1912 pc1The Henderson Sisters Oakland CA 1912 pc2

“This is the Henderson sisters. Emma’s place is not finished yet but expects to move down next week. Mary is not feeling well but all the rest of the bunch are alright. Love from all, hope you are feeling good. Flora.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. Reiterman, 177 – Page st., San Francisco, Calif.”

Well, the first names of the Henderson girls weren’t found, Henderson being a fairly common name, for one thing. Then also, the family may not have stayed in Oakland, the presumed city this photograph was taken in. But it’s such a cute photo, and there they are standing/sitting in clover, with the house border’s roses and gladiolas behind them.

The Reiterman Family was found at the address on the postcard in the 1912 city directory. And from the 1920 Federal Census for the same address we find that the addressee is Mrs. Mary F. Reiterman, born California about 1866; married to William J.Reiterman, born California about 1864, his occupation Cutter in the furnishing goods industry; their sons are William A., Neil D. and Percy (ages 32 – 27 on this census).

Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard. Postmarked June 25, 1912 from Oakland, California.

Price:  $15.00

Sources:  Year: 1920; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 29, San Francisco, California; Roll: T625_133; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 58; Image: 1087. (Ancestry.com).

Crocker-Langley’s San Francisco Directory for the Year Ending August 1912. p. 1413. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.)

Franica 1918

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Franica 1918 p1Franica 1918 p2

This area looks like the California Central Valley or the San Jose, CA area near the mountains, before all the development, when much of that area was orchards. And it’s a beautiful photo, very artistic, of little Franica, who looks to be about two years old, in her polka dot dress and knit cap. The given name Franica is not a common one, and in searching the 1920 Federal Census’ in the U.S. there are only about twenty entries that could possibly fit for someone born 1915 – 1918, none coming up in California; of course, it could well have been taken in some other state or even country. But in any case, a pretty name for a pretty girl.

Old photo dated 1918.     

Price:  $10.00     Size:  3 and 1/4 x 5 and 1/2″

W. L. S. A. Choice Groceries

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W L S A Choice Groceries tc1

Trade card for the W. L. S. A. grocery, Lynn, Massachusetts. Publisher unknown. No. 2500. Circa 1880s – 1890s.

Price:  $15.00

A dream of spring?

Here’s an unusual trade card for a couple of reasons:  the design – a spring scene of two ladies bundled up for the weather, one holding a tree branch that is budding with red flowers; she seems to be offering it to a seated gentleman, he even more bundled up in overcoat, hat and fur collar (really is this a woman or man?) On his lap he holds a basket with a goose (ready to be cooked for dinner). The tableau takes place inside a large shell, a crescent moon appears in the sky and a couple of rustic houses in the background. The shell is nestled atop a low-growing bush, not yet leafed out for spring, and there are a few birds lost in their own world, hunting for food, one in a branch and the other two at the base of the bush. The colors showing the iridescence of the shell are beautiful:  pink, yellow, orange, a little blue and purple. Wow, all in all, is this an artist’s daydream of spring? The fowl certainly is appropriate for the business the card was advertising, though. Which leads us to the second unusual thing about this card:  The W. L. S. A. grocery at 26 Market Square in Lynn, Mass was not located in online records. There are a couple of other trade cards for this business presently for sale online, but like ours, nothing shows on the back. And the lithographer name does not appear on any of the cards.

One hundred ninety-something grocers…

This card’s date is given a broad range of 1880s to 1890s, just a typical estimate for a trade card. In searching for the 26 Market Sq. address, nothing came up related to groceries. In the year 1895 (just a random year in the general time frame) there were almost 200 persons or businesses listed under the heading of Grocers. That seemed like a lot at first but maybe not, as the population five years later was over 68 thousand. In any case, one gets the impression that the grocery business for many, might have been short-lived. It would seem this was likely the case for the W. L. S. A., unless it was just the name that was short-term.

Sources:  Sampson, Murdock & Co.’s The Lynn Directory, 1895, Vol. XXX. pp. 715 – 716. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.

Timeline of Lynn, Massachusetts. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Lynn,_Massachusetts. (accessed March 2, 2016).