Divided Back, Real Photo Postcard. Postmarked July 20, 1908, Endicott, Washington. Photographer: Hutchison, Endicott, Washington.
Price: $15.00
“The old Lady is Mrs. Taylor. the Babe belongs to Fannie. I hope you are feeling better. Lovingly, Orpha.”
Addressed to: “Mrs. A. H. Anderson. Coeur d’ Alene Idaho.”
Figuring out who is who
Orpha, the postcard sender, is Mrs. Thomas F. Taylor, born in California, about 1866, to Edward Irwin and Leah Stark. She and Thomas (that’s likely him in the image above) married in Diamond, Washington (about 13 miles east of Endicott) on April 18, 1896 (it’s April 14th as I’m typing this…so almost 122 years ago.) Thomas, born in Illinois about 1872, was the son of William J. Taylor and Sarah Barnett. His occupation was farmer, at the time of his marriage to Orpha, and it’s possible that the farmhouse we see here is Tom (let’s just say Tom from here on out) and Orpha’s. They had a daughter, Frances, born January 1897, near Endicott, so her age would fit perfectly for the young girl standing on the porch. If she’s Frances, then the dark-haired woman in the photo is probably Orpha, since the girl resembles her so much, and because we see the photographer’s embossed stamp on the side of the card, so in other words, Orpha may have been in the photo, definitely not taking it. The older lady (let’s not say old!) on our left must be Tom’s mother, Sarah (Barnett) Taylor. Last, but not least, what was the babe’s name?
Orpheus C. Taylor on the 1910
An unusual female name, either way, Orpha or Orpheus, but the 1910 Federal Census shows Tom, Orpheus and Frances, living in Garfield, Washington, near the border of Idaho. Tom, at this time, is running his own blacksmith shop.
Who was Mrs. A. H. Anderson?
Possibly Jessie, maiden name Dobbins, that married Andrew H. Anderson. In 1910 the couple was living in Coeur d’ Alene with their daughter, Fern (or Sweet Fern, as she is officially named on one of her records. Love these names! And, we’ll add this post to our Unusual First Names category, on account of both Sweet Fern and Orpheus.)
Sources: Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Collection Title: Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: eawhmr350. (Ancestry.com).
Original data: Washington Births, 1891-1929. Various county birth registers. Microfilm. Washington State Archives, Olympia, Washington. (Ancestry.com).
Year: 1910; Census Place: Precinct 42, Whitman, Washington; Roll: T624_1674; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0264; FHL microfilm: 1375687. (Ancestry.com).
Year: 1910; Census Place: Sherman, Kootenai, Idaho; Roll: T624_225; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0173; FHL microfilm: 1374238. (Ancestry.com).
“Sweet Fern Cruze.” California, Death Index, 1940-1997. (Ancestry.com).
Orpha Taylor was my great grandmother, mother to my grandmother Frances Taylor.
Thanks so much, Michael, for the comment. Sorry about the late posting and reply. All the best! Anne
I am descended directly from the Taylors in this photo. Frances Taylor is my grandmother. I have a studio print of this photo in my family archive. Grandma Frances named the people in the photo as follows: (left to right) Orpha Irwin Taylor, Frances Irwin Baker, Frances Taylor, and Tom Taylor. The infant on Tom Taylor’s lap is Tom Baker, son of Frances Irwin Baker. Tom Baker was born 25 Dec 1908, and since he looks 4-6 months old in this photo, I’m guessing the photo was taken in Spring of 1909.
The house is in Endicott, WA. It was bought by Edward Irwin in the late 1800s to house his family, including his wife Leah Stark Irwin, and several of his children (Orpha, Frances, Edward, and Mamie) and grandchildren. Edward Irwin died in 1907, so he was out of the picture by the time this photo was taken.
Hi Scott, sorry for such a late posting of your comment, I had some other obligations to attend to for a while. But thank you so much for the great detail and information, really appreciate it! Anne