Category Archives: Military

A U. S. Navy Man, WWI

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Real Photo Postcard, unused with writing. Circa 1914 – 1918. EKC stamp box.

Price:  $10.00

For Veteran’s Day….

“Best Wishes & Good Luck to a splendid Bunk Mate, Charles Ed. Sickler. Paxton, Ill. R-R-I.”

Most likely we’re looking at Charles Ed. Sickler in the photo (at least one presumes!) as it sounds like this writer of best wishes was giving this remembrance of himself, along with his mailing address, to his buddy, “the splendid Bunk Mate.” A cool guy, Charles, you can read his perhaps dry sense of humor in the card. The RR1 would be Rural Route 1. But no confirmation was found for him in census, military or city directory records, and that is surprising.

Hugh Ester Bayles

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Divided back, unused with writing and/or photographer stamp. Three Real Photo Postcards of Hugh Ester Bayles, taken in San Jose, CA, by photographer Enrico Bambocci. Circa 1913 and 1918. Solio stamp box.

Availability Status:  SOLD

So, we’re a little late with this military-related post, for the prior Memorial Day, but nevertheless….three wonderful RPPCs of Hugh Ester Bayles. Hugh was the son of Levi Bayles and Lydia Mitchell, and was born August 21, 1892 in Paxico, Kansas (still a small town today). The 1910 Federal Census shows Hugh, his parents, and his siblings, Charles, Ruth and Homer, living in Mokelumne, Calaveras Co., CA. At the time of the first World War draft registration, he was living at 918 Harliss Ave., San Jose, CA, and working as a truck driver for the Raisch Co.[?] located on Auzerais Ave. He enlisted April 30, 1918. He was married to Bessie Irene Way, prior to 1939. He died November 30, 1982 at age 90.

At age 21, about 1913, San Jose, California. The photographer props at this time include an animal skin (uggh) of….is that a badger? (poor guy) and a vase holding geraniums.

Hugh, age 21. Different day, as he is wearing a different (pin-striped) suit and a wider tie.

In uniform, at about age 26, circa 1918.

Sources:  Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1544322. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.

The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975; Record Group Number: 147. (Ancestry.com)

Paxico, Kansas. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paxico,_Kansas (accessed May 30, 2017).

Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Mokelumne, Calaveras, California; Roll: T624_73; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0011; FHL microfilm: 1374086. (Ancestry.com)

State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA, USA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. (Ancestry.com)

Find A Grave Memorial# 140189413 for Bessie I. (Way) Bayles

A U. S. Army WWII Veteran

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Photo, circa 1943. Possible surname on back:  Wright.

Price:  $3.00        Size:  About 2 and 1/2 x 3″

We’re a day late this year for Veterans Day, which was yesterday, but still the sentiment was there, so to honor all veterans…..here’s a snapshot of a handsome African-American guy taken during what appears to be the WWII era. From a little research we think he’s wearing an M-1943 Field Jacket. And the hat, a garrison cap, which bears an insignia on the left-hand side but the design is too blurred to make out. No doubt there are military uniform experts out there who will know. The writing is rather scribbled on the back, but it looks like the young man’s last name could be Wright, and underneath a couple of words, “…..?….cook” or could that first word be an abbreviation of signal? which then makes one think it would be Signal Corps, though that’s probably stretching it.

Sources:  M-1943 Field Jacket. Military Items.com (accessed November 12, 2016).

Garrison Caps. At The Front Shop.com. (accessed November 12, 2016).

FDR, A Rendezvous With Destiny

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Divided back, used, linen, artist-signed postcard. Postmarked from New York, July 29, 1943. Artist:  Onorio Ruotolo. Copyright Jos. Zegarelli, 1942. Publisher:  Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art-Colortone” Post Card (Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.) Number or series:  2B-H1291.

Price:  $20.00

A timely one for this presidential election year 2016, and a great one for any FDR or Onorio Ruotolo collector. Onorio Ruotolo (1888 – 1966) was known as the  “Rodin of Little Italy” and was the founder of the Leonardo da Vinci Art School which ran from 1923 – 1942.  As of the date of this posting, no other cards were found of its kind.

Faith, Hope and Love

Ruotolo’s design shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt, having just released a dove carrying an olive branch. Underneath a cloud bank, fighter planes and ships carry out their destiny in WWII. Surrounding the scene are the words, “We fight for the restoration and perpetuation of faith and hope and peace throughout the world.”  Underneath the circle appear the triangular ends of a pyramid with the words, Faith, Hope and Love. Per Wikiquote, the “rendezvous with destiny” caption originated from a speech given by FDR, on June 27, 1936, to the Democratic National Convention. Below is the portion of the speech that contains the reference:

“There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.” 

Stargate Detroit

As we’ve said a number of times on this website, you never know where an old postcard, photo, trade card, etc. will take you. We’re time travelers via these old pieces of ephemera, and find ourselves synching up not just with the people, places and ideas of the past, but also with those of the present and future. (All happening at the same time anyway.) As I’m writing this I’m seeing beams of light connecting instantly around the world, the universe, and across “space and time.” What took me here was the mention of Isamu Noguchi (1904 – 1988) in the Wiki article about the Leonardo da Vinci Art School:  Noguchi being the school’s most famous student. Was that the same guy that designed the “DNA sculpture” (Pylon) in Hart Plaza, Detroit? (The one I did a high school paper about? Hee hee, hearkening back to high school.) Yes, the very one. From there I found the most fascinating web article by Chad Stuemke, entitled Stargate Detroit. (I’m blown away, and thinking of this find as my extra reward for scrubbing the kitchen tile grout yesterday 😉 )

Last, but never least

The Joseph Zegarelli that would have belonged to the  “copyright 1942” on the postcard was not located. Likewise, the addressee and sender weren’t found in online records either, but even so, the writing there shows a nice, though short, glimpse of typical family life:  Someone traveled somewhere and forgot to do something before they left, and now they have to ask the person back home to handle it. We’re guessing, along with you I’m sure, that Grover’s middle name was Cleveland. (A nice tie-in with a presidential postcard.) Addressed to:   “Mr. Grover C. Wood, Greene, N.Y., Box 176.”  The sender wrote:

“Dear Grover:  we arrived here in Utica 8 o’clock. it is now 12:15 Delores is sleeping & I am thinking of some one ( [?] ) You know. Say Dear would you please take care of the suit case as I left all my insurance papers & etc in it. Will try to write more later. Hope every thing is o.k.   Love Tine[?] & Delores.”

Sources:  Onorio Ruotolo. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onorio_Ruotolo. (accessed November 6, 2016).

Franklin D. Roosevelt. n.d. https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt. (accessed November 6, 2016).

Isamu Naguchi. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isamu_Noguchi. (accessed November 6, 2016).

Leonardo da Vinci Art School. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci_Art_School. (accessed November 6, 2016).

Stuemke, Chad. “Stargate Detroit.” chadstuemke.com. (accessed November 6, 2016).

Photos From A Family Album

Gallery

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This gallery contains 63 photos.

Here are a bunch of old photos from someone’s family album, that have been waiting around to finally get scanned and posted. This is WWI Era (the date from the army barracks photos appears to be 7/20/18) and several show … Continue reading →

Busy Persons Correspondence Card

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Busy Persons Correspondence Card pc1Busy Persons Correspondence Card pc2

1942 bathing beauties for Mr. J. Matthews from his son Jack, on one of those “check off your responses” type of card. Sometimes they were straight-forward, sometimes wacky, depending both on the card choices and the sender. In this case, Jack indicated:

“Calif., Nov. 3. Dear Dad, This place is beautiful. The weather is warm and dry. The people are friendly. I’m feeling fine and happy. I spend my time sightseeing. I need sleep. Give my love to all the folks. Yours sincerely.”   On the back he wrote:

“Dear Dad, How are you I am fine. It is nice country here but I prefer the East. Write to me you have my address. Jack.”  Addressed to:

“Mr. J. Matthews, 291 Orange St., Albany, N.Y.”

Underneath the postmark is Jack’s address:

“J.V. Matthews. S. 36 [?] US Navy, Batt 27 HDQ Co A-B, Port Hueneme, Calif.”

“We Build, We Fight.”

From a little research online, and of the course, the year of the postcard indicating WWII, it looks like Jack was a part of the “Seabees.” This term is from the initials “C.B.” which stands for Construction Battalion, and their motto is,  “We Build, We Fight.”  Both the 27th and 37th Battalion at Port Hueneme (pronouced “Why-nee-mee”) were part of the Seabees, (so even if it’s 37 rather than 27 in his address on the card, the branch of service still fits.) Below is the Seabee’s emblem (courtesy Wikipedia.)

Which Matthews family did Jack belong to?

The 1943 Albany, NY city directory shows the 291 Orange St. address as the residence of John V. Matthews, machinist, and his wife, Adeline R. Matthews. A couple of entries above lists John Matthews, USA, residence 291 Orange. “USA” in this directory is the abbreviation for United States Army (an error since Jack was in the Navy in ’42?) A quick further search in city directories shows Jack and Adeline at this address at least as early as 1938.

City directory findings led to various census records. The 1900 for Philadelphia shows two-month-old John V. Matthews, with parents, James and Isabella, both born in Ireland, and William Matthews, brother to James, also born in Ireland. And finally a 1961 death record for Jack (always hate to mention these, sentimentally having become fond of the person who, in this case, sent this nice postcard to his dad) but that shows Jack was born in Philadelphia in 1900, lists wife Adeline, and parents’ names, James Matthews and Isabelle (Devlin) Matthews, thus confirming his parentage.

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked November 3, 1942. “U.S. Navy.” Publisher:  Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass. “Tichnor Quality Views” Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. “Busy Person’s Correspondence Cards – 10 Designs.” Series or number 65157. 

Price:  $15.00

Sources:  Seabees in World War II. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabees_in_World_War_II (accessed July 18, 2015).

R. L. Polk & Co.’s Albany City Directory, Vol. CXXX. p. 266. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 38, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 1479; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0975; FHL microfilm: 1241479

Ancestry.com. Menands, New York, Albany Rural Cemetery Burial Cards, 1791-2011

Ensign Kinne, Photographer

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See our Waukegan, IL WWII Sailor post for a Kinne & Meyer photo.

Ensign Kinne was born March 22, 1878, in Housatonic, Massachusetts, died October 20, 1940, in Shields Township, Lake County, Illinois, and was buried October 23, 1940 in Pittsfield, Mass. He was the son of Massachusetts native Finneus Morgan Kinne and Lucretia Bowers. Ensign Kinne’s occupation on this death record is given as Photographer, and residence Waukegan. He was single, and a veteran of WWI.

Ensign Kinne’s early life:  several city directories starting with 1891 for Chicopee and running through 1898 for Westfield, MA show Ensign’s occupation as Clerk, working for his father, P. M. (Phineas M.) Kinne, who ran a billiard parlor on Elm in Westfield (on the 1898 directory) and was advertised as “dealer in temperance drinks, cigars, tobacco, etc.”

Army enlistment:  age 26 and 5/12. (Record dated August 23, 1904.)

The 1910 Federal Census shows him incorrectly listed as Ensign “Kaiser”, Musician 1c; stationed at the Navy yard in Puget Sound, Washington; ship name U.S.S. Washington.

The application below for a military headstone shows his Navy enlistment was September 20, 1915 – September 19, 1919.

App for Headstone

The 1920 Federal Census record for Waukegan, Illinois, shows “Esign” Kinne, renting at 122 County St., self-employed photographer.

Surprisingly, as far as Meyer & Kinne, Meyer wasn’t located, and the only other reference currently found for the studio was in a compiled military photo list (no photos)  “Circa 1920s…Staff in front of Barracks A, Kinne & Meyer photograph.”  But it’s interesting how these posts at Laurel Cottage often come together – for this one and the prior two – WWI Army, WWII Navy, and a photographer who served in WWI Army and Navy, with the first name of Ensign. How common was this given name? When we hear it today, we probably think military, but in browsing through the census records through the 1880s – 1940s it’s a name that comes up often.

Sources:  Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947

Original data: Springfield, MA, 1890: Price, Lee & Co., 1890.Springfield, MA, 1891: Price, Lee & Co., 1891.

R. S. Dillon & Co.’s Westfield Directory, 1898. p. 169. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989.

Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M233, 81 rolls); Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1910; Census Place: USS Washington, Puget Sound, Washington, Military and Naval Forces; Roll: T624_1784; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0125; FHL microfilm: 1375797. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1920; Census Place: Waukegan, Lake, Illinois; Roll: T625_382; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 278; Image: 291 (Ancestry.com)

Original data: Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941. Microfilm publication M1916, 134 rolls. ARC ID: 596118. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92. National Archives at Washington, D.C. (Ancestry.com)

“Company Photos.” p. 1. Sept 27, 2006. Naval History and Heritage Command. Web accessed May 25, 2015. [http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/greatlakes/companyphotos.pdf]

Waukegan, IL WWII Sailor

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Waukegan IL WWII Sailor p1

A portrait of a handsome young man in United States Navy uniform, WWII. There is no identifying information on the back, but the photographer’s studio shows the  imprint of Kinne & Meyer, Waukegan, – Illinois.

Kinne was possibly Ensign Kinne, (1878 – 1940). His counterpart, Meyer, is unknown at this time. Waukegan city directories are not showing the studio name, though there was a printer named Meyer who may have gone in with Ensign Kinne or taken over after Kinne’s death. Kinne was himself a veteran (WWI). We’ll look for him further in the next post.

Studio portrait of unknown sailor, US Navy. Photography studio:  Kinne & Meyer, Waukegan, IL.

Price:  $10.00      Size:  About 4 x 6″

Source:  Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947

Anton Plotěný

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“Anton Plotěný – 2nd oldest. Served in, and was a prisoner of war in Italy at the last stages of it. In some kind of uniform but I cannot remember what. Blacksmith of trade. Please send back as I have no duplicate.”

This photo was a “must have” – for one, because of the identifying information given (which is so often missing) and secondly so we could help this young man’s image continue to survive, especially after the care expressed by the writer above, and especially in the hopes that his descendents might find this post and recognize him. It was found at an antique paper fair in California, and probably had been originally obtained from an estate sale. The Plotěný surname is probably of Czech origin. And since WWI was 1914 – 1918, this photo was likely either taken during this time or before the war. He does appear to have been quite young here, probably in his late teens or very early twenties.

Real Photo Postcard, possibly of Czech origin. Circa 1910 – 1918.

Price:  $15.00