Divided back, used postcard. No. 7713? Postmarked from Dixon, California, April 16, 1908. Publisher: Richard Behrendt, San Francisco, California. Made in Germany.
Price: $8.00 for digital scan only. Original in web author’s personal collection.
“Dear Cora! Rec’d you card and it was very pretty. How is every thing, all O.K? It is warm up here now. Farmers are all crying for rain up here. Hope they get it soon. Kind Regards to you all from Ellen – Write Soon”
Card is addressed to: “Miss Cora Hollenstein, Salinas, Cala.”
This is a postcard that my friend bought for me since my husband and I have our own bunny (the most beautiful in the world – and they all are; as well as the most beautiful kitty in the world, and they all are.) So, this card is only for sale as a digital scan. Anyway, this is just a precious image: A little girl with light brown curls, sits outside on a lawn, holding a closed umbrella (for some reason an umbrella, but this makes the picture even better.) She has an Easter basket of eggs beside her, and is dressed charmingly, with red striped stockings, a blue skirt, white peasant-type blouse, white apron, a red and blue scarf or perhaps this is part of a pinafore, and an embroidered-looking hat. Directly behind her is a taller basket with her brown bunny appearing out of it to give her a hug. Girl and bun are cheek to cheek, and their expressions are wonderful. The caption Easter Greetings appears in light purple at the top left, after which the sender has written, “to you all from Ellen Anderson.”
The card has the postal markings from Salinas on the front, as well as the postmark for Dixon, California on the back. Perhaps I will do a Photoshop version of the image without the postal markings. (When I get some extra time, ha – or finally learn how to “bend the space-time continuum” ha ha. This last remark is part of caption from a great newspaper comic that appeared somewhere, that I hope I saved. If I can find it, I will put post it. Why not?) This postcard is also interesting for the fact that we are also experiencing (unfortunately) a drought here in California, just as the farmers were in the Dixon area in April of 1908.
The addressee on this card is likely the same as appearing with her parents and siblings on the 1910 Federal Census, taken in the Santa Rita precinct of Alisal Township (Salinas today) California. The family is as follows: Henry H. Hollenstein, occupation farmer, born Denmark about 1836; his wife Maria M., born Denmark about 1853; their children Andrew B., born California about 1879; Henry H., born Arizona about 1884; Harrietta? C., born Arizona about 1882; Mabel E., born Arizona about 1887; and Cora M., born Arizona about 1890.
The card is postmarked from what must be Dixon, California (located about 23 miles from Sacramento, in northern Solano County) since Ellen is saying “it is warm up here…” Dixon is about 150 highway miles north of Salinas. The postmarked date is April 16, year is probably 1908.
As to the sender of this postcard, Ellen appears on the 1900 Federal Census taken in Dixon, with her parents. The family is as follows: Andrew Anderson, occupation farmer, born Sweden in May 1857; his wife Hilda, born Sweden in November 1865; and their daughter Ellen V., born California in January 1889.
Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Alisal, Monterey, California; Roll: T624_89; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0002; FHL microfilm: 1374102. (Ancestry.com)
Year: 1900; Census Place: Dixon, Solano, California; Roll: 113; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0145; FHL microfilm: 1240113. (Ancestry.com)
Cora Hollenstein was my great grandfather Andrew Hollenstain Senior’s younger sister. She was as they said in those days “an old maid”. You are correct about her family ties. I suspect that this may have been part of a box of items that a friend inadvertently took to Goodwill after my grandfather’s death in 2010. Glad to know that it was not destroyed.
Hi Terry, thanks for your comment. I’ll keep an eye out for any more possible cards from or to Cora and her family. I periodically visit the antique store where this one was found. Will let you know if there’s any more. Best regards, Anne
Anne,
Terry was just here in Salinas for a visit and she mentioned finding your site. She is my Husband Andrew B. Hollenstain Jr.’s grand daughter. I have been franically trying to find out where some of the items that were in the box that Terry mentioned in her reply to your notice of Aunt Cora’s card. Do you think you could ask your friend where she purchased the card. It may give me a clue of where I may find some of the other items that were in the box. You might also be interested to know that in 1969 my husband and I moved into the same family home that was lived in by all those whose names appeared in the 1910 census. He passed in 2010.
Hi Donna, I’m almost positive that she would have found it at Halltree in Oldtown (downtown Salinas). Location and phone: 202 Main St, Salinas, CA 93901. (831) 757-6918. They consist of a number of different dealers so cards and photos are scattered throughout the store. Let me know if there’s any way I can help you in your search. And I’ll check my other existing stuff that I haven’t had time to put up yet. Interesting about the same family home as the 1910 census. Love that kind of “full circle” thing! But I’ll be checking with my friend in the next few days, if she tells me anything different on the card location I’ll post here right away. Crossing fingers that you find more on your family!