Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Two Young Edwardian Era Women in Big Hats

This picture postcard showcases two attractive young women from 1905 - 1910 in very large hats.  They are both dressed very sharply in fitted dresses with inset  bodices and high necklines.  The girl on the left is wearing eyeglasses and a locket that is pinned, not worn on a chain.  Alas, once again they are sadly unidentified.

Sepia Saturday #256 - Fun Festivals and Fabulous Feathers

Possible themes for this week's Sepia Saturday include festivals, floats, feathers and fair maidens. Hmmm.  Well, after much consideration I think I can do the festivals and feathers.  I have lots of fair maidens but will save those for another day.

This first photo is a photo postcard of the downtown square of my hometown Mount Vernon, Illinois dated between 1904 and 1910.  I have no idea what the celebration was about and had quite a discussion on a Facebook group I belong to with fellow Mt. Vernon history buffs and no one came up with a definitive answer.  The women in white appear to belong to some organization, possibly like the Salvation Army and note the child in the middle carrying the American flag.  

One thing I love about this photo is that Mt. Vernon's main streets all used to be paved in brick, but with modernization those have sadly been paved over.  (Click on photos to enlarge).

Mt. Vernon, IL Square 1904 - 1910

This second photo postcard is Trenton, New Jersey from the same time period and depicts the 1909 Inter-State Fair.  Trenton is the birthplace of my husband's father and of many of his ancestors which is what drew me to it.

Trenton, NJ Inter-State Fair 1909

Well, that covers the festivals.....now for the feathers.  Two of my favorite birds are flamingos and peacocks and I just happen to have old Florida postcards of both.  The first one is of the famous flamingos of the Hialeah Park and Racing Casino.  This is a linen postcard ca. 1930's.  The flamingos were introduced into the park in 1934 from Cuba to inhabit the infield lake and have since become an iconic Florida image.  This particular postcard shows a breeding flock of flamingos with nests and five eggs.  

I myself have taken hundreds of photographs of them at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, FL including this one and never tire of looking at them.  Such beautiful birds!

And finally the majestic Peacock!  Another linen postcard from the 1930's or 40's from the Parrot Jungle in Miami, Florida.

I also photographed this beautiful peacock at Flamingo Gardens.  I chased the poor things all over the park in fact, trying to get one to open his tail feather to no avail.  I learned later that only the males open their plumes and only twice a year during mating rituals.  Just my luck!

Well, that's my entry for this week.  I urge every one to fly over to Sepia Saturday and check out all the wonderful photo's and stories.  You won't be disappointed!

Sepia Saturday #173 - Odd Animal Photos - Fish & Fangs

The theme for this week's Sepia Saturday is based on a photograph of a boy holding two birds/ducks/geese, not sure what they are, but a quite odd photograph it is.  I have a couple of photos in my collection I have been holding on to that I thought would fit this theme perfectly.  Therefore I humbly submit to you my odd animal photos.

The first photograph is a small snapshot taken of a portly man holding a rather large fish.  On the back he is identified as "Uncle Bert", 37 (1937) Ft Drum, at Corpus Christi.

This next photo is actually a real photo postcard and I have to be honest with you about this one.  I bought this in an antique store and why I did, I do not know because I have a terrible phobia about snakes; I cannot look at them, cannot even bear to think about them, I will probably have a nightmare tonight from just posting this photo, but it is too perfect for this theme not to post.  The man is identified on the back as D. J. Winters, but I have not been able to find out any information about a snake wranger with this name.  I believe this was a rattle snake but, since I have no knowledge of snakes and want none, I am not sure.  According to the AZO mark on the back it was produced between 1904 and 1918.

For more odds and ends, please visit Sepia Saturday.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Big Hats in Clay Center, Kansas

This real photo postcard shows four, very stylish ladies from Clay Center, Kansas wearing extremely large hats and is dated on the back April 4, 1912.  Evidently it was cold in Kansas that April as each of these women is dressed for cold weather, perhaps an outing or for travel.  Besides their hats, they are wearing floor-length overcoats, carrying purses and gloves.  It is a wonderful photo of early 1900's fashions and appears to have been taken in a studio.

On the back someone has very nicely identified three of the women as Ellin Wickstion, Ida Ericson and Abbie Swenson.  Unfortunately, they did not note which name went with which woman.  To make matters worse the penner has placed an ink star on the front and noted on the back, "I starred beneath Mom."  We can assume one of those names belongs to "Mom," but that is still no help.  These names all appear to be of Swedish origin and I found the last woman, Abbie Swenson, in the 1910 Clay County, KS census on Ancestry.com.  She was born in 1889 in Kansas which would make her about 23 years old in this photograph, perhaps the one in the back left.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Two Stylish Canadian Women

Today's Women With Hats gives us two for the money with  two quite stylish Canadian ladies and their gentleman friend (or relative) identified on the back as "Hansens neighbors in Canada."  The ladies and gentleman appear to be posing outside against foliage and next to water. This real photo postcard was published by the Council Crest Co. of Portland, Oregan between 1904 and 1920.  We know this because the CYKO Company, the paper manufacturer, used that particular stamp box during those years. Due to the type of hats and very stylish walking suits I am guessing this was taken sometime between 1905 and the very early 1910's.  I welcome any input to the contrary.  Thanks for looking.

Happy Birthday United States of America!!

1918 Postcard

Military Monday - WWI Sailor? and Wife ca 1918

This real photo postcard shows what I believe is a WWI sailor and and wife posing for the camera.  This appears to be the type of uniform sailors wore during WWI.  The couple is mostly unidentified except for their first names which are found on the back where it says, "To Grandmother, From Ruth and Harvey." 

WWI began in July of 1914 and lasted until November 1918.  This particular type of postcard was produced by AZO and as evidenced by the photo stamp box on the back was produced between 1918 and 1930.  It is possible that it was taken in 1918, possibly at the end of the war.  Unfortunately, since it was not postmarked and mailed, I cannot be certain.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats - Big Hat & Grapes too!

Why can't I just for once post a picture without all the drama?  This week's "Women with Hats" photo is of English actress Edna Loftus (? -1916), this particular picture postcard taken before 1907.  I had never heard of Edna, but  thought to myself I'll just check her out on Wikipedia, write a short bio and be done with it.  Of course it could not be that simple!  Look at this beautiful Edwardian photo of her with the large hat, she is holding grapes in her hands and even appears to have white grapes on her hat.  She is truly a vision of loveliness.

From what little I have been able to learn about her she was an English musical comedy actress, birthday unknown.  Little is know about her early life; from this postcard which is postmarked 1907 I am going to guess her birth date somewhere between 1875 and 1885.  Her career was somewhat modest, however, her personal life was full of drama. As a young woman she went to London and joined a vaudeville-pantomime known there as the "Rein Deers" and evolved from that into a  London music hall star.  During this time her she announced her engagement to Lord Dunbarton of Manchester.  When this was called off she soon became engaged and then married to Winnie O'Connor, the famous English jockey, also famous on American tracks.  She divorced O'Connor and was said to have gone to New York City to appeared on Broadway after 1906.

Edna Loftus 1906

It was reported that while in New York in a Broadway restaurant she met Harry Rheinstrom, a younger man, and a son of a millionaire Cincinnati distiller and he was reported to have spent several thousand dollars on her in a short period of time.  When they announced their intention to marry, his family who strongly objected had her arrested, and had him admitted to a private sanitarium in Ohio.  Miss Loftus procured a writ of habeas corpus and secured Rheinstrom's release on 4 January 1910.  They crossed state lines and were married in Covington, KY on 7 Jan 1910.  He still had to face a lunacy trial through proceedings filed by his mother and have a guardian appointed.  Edna and Harry left for Los Angeles where they took up residency at a chicken farm in Boyle Heights.  After six months they returned to Cincinnati to effect a reconciliation with his mother and to try to procure his inheritance.

There were more drama to come.  She was arrested and accused of bigamy for not legally divorcing her first husband.  Her husband's parents had him readmitted to the sanitarium for his nerves.  After release from jail she went to work as as a cafe singer to pay for his expenses. His parents wanted him back, but without her.  In Dec 1910, now separated from her husband and penniless she jumped into Spreckels Lake in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to commit suicide.  She was rescued by an passing motorist.  In 1913 Rheinstrom was sent to the insane asylum at Stockton, released a year later, divorced his wife and returned to the East.

In October 1915 suffering from severe illness she tried to sue her former parents-in-law. Edna, whose career was virtually over at this time was also was facing deportation.  According to the Oakland Tribune, she was managing the Art Hotel at 883 Kearny Street, her fame long gone.  She died penniless 16 June 1916 of tuberculosis in San Francisco and was to be buried in the local potter's field until friends intervened and had her buried in Cypress Lawn Cemetery.

Sources:

1. Wikipedia

2.  New York Times

3.  http://footlightnotes.tripod.com/ArchiveTextL/EdnaLoftus.html

Sepia Saturday #124 - Miniature Railway - Easton, PA

I just love this postcard depicting a miniature train full of passengers which was postmarked in 1907.  The train, called the "Black Diamond" was photographed in Easton, PA by E. D. Vogel of the same city.  The passengers, young and old, are all decked out in their finest clothes as if they are on a trip to somewhere important and the engineer is wearing what I would expect a real train engineer of old to wear.  It was perfect for this week's Sepia Saturday theme about miniature trains.

If you enjoyed this post, please roll on down the track to Sepia Saturday to see more terrific pictures of trains, planes and automobiles!

Sepia Saturday #122 - Cypress Gardens - Florida

I can't find any family pictures that depict this week's Sepia Saturday theme, Gardens, but I do have these vintage Florida postcards that seem to fit.

These two postcards show Cypress Gardens, a historic Florida attraction that opened as a botanical garden on 2 Jan 1936 and later became known for its water ski shows, lush gardens and Southern Belles.  It became known as the "Water Ski Capitol of the World" and a string of Esther Williams movies were filmed there.  The park was severely damaged by several hurricanes in 2004 and never reopened.  In 2010 Merlin Entertainments bought the park with the intention of using it for the fifth Legoland.  (Wikipedia)  A sad end to a true Florida institution.

Please check out all the other green thumbs at Sepia Saturday.

Easter Wishes!

These Easter wishes were sent on this embossed postcard from a mother to her daughter on April 14,1911:

The back of the card reads, "Dear Daughter, We are all well, hope you are the same.  I suppose you will be home Easter this is all.  Good by From Mom".  It was addressed to Bess Kamiff in Van Wert, Ohio.

Sepia Saturday #120 Library - NJ State Normal School Trenton

I've been on a hiatus from all my blogs the last couple of weeks, well from the computer actually due to severe back pain.  After working on the computer all day at my office the last thing I want to do when I come home is sit down in another desk chair and type!  I've missed the last couple of Sepia Saturdays and when I checked today and saw that this week's topic was "Library" I knew I had just the thing!  I have this great postcard I bought to post on my other blog, RogersFamilyHistory which I write about my husband's family.  His grandfather Alvin S. Rogers and great-grandfather Elmer H. Rogers were both well known doctors in Trenton, NJ in the early 1900's.  Somewhere in all my piles and piles of "stuff" I know I have documentation that Alvin attended the NJ State Normal School in Trenton, at least for a time. However, I cannot find this document and so have not posted this postcard on that blog. Therefore it will be perfect for today's post on  Sepia Saturday!

The postcard was posted in 1908 from someone named Minnie, evidently a student and it was sent to Miss Florence Melville in Newark, NJ.  Minnie had this to say:

"Every thing is very much different up here, but I am having a good time, although we have to study.  I suppose you are having a dandy time now.  Love from Minnie - Normal Hall Trenton, NJ"

Celebrate National Library Week by checking out these other bookish posts at Sepia Saturday!

Sepia Saturday #115 - Games - Shuffleboard, Dog Racing & Baseball

For this week's theme at Sepia Saturday, "Games," I really had to dig deep. I couldn't find any old pictures featuring games, but I do have these old postcards and one special baseball card.  Being a transplant in south Florida I really enjoy the old  scenic views.  This first one is from my adopted home town, Fort Lauderdale postmarked 1936.  These people, winter tourists most likely, were playing shuffleboard at the Lauderdale Arms Apartment.  I couldn't find any information on the Lauderdale Arms, I'm sure it is long gone.  However, one interesting and sad note is the postmark.  For nearly 100 years a Fort Lauderdale postmark has been on all mail posted in Broward County, FL.  However, the US Postal Service has recently announced that in an effort to reduce costs they will most likely close the processing center in Fort Lauderdale and all mail will be processed and postmarked out of Miami.  It seems like a minor thing, but it is a blow to the identity and historical presence of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County.  

This second postcard, which is probably technically more a sport than a game, is Greyhound Racing at the West Flagler Kennel Club in Miami, FL and postmarked Valentines Day 1942. The back of the card says, "Nightly thousands of fans gather at Miami's most beautiful dog track, the West Flagler Kennel Club, where the Greyhound is King.  Steam Heated Grandstand." Not sure what that means and why they would need that in Miami!

Now, where the baseball card comes in - baseball is of course, the all American past-time, the game of games.  This card which was put out in 1992 is a republication of a 1925 card for Jack Warner of the Detroit Tigers.  It's relevance to me and my family is that Jack Warner was married to my maternal grandmother's aunt which would make him I guess my great grand uncle.  His full name was John Ralph Warner, he was born on 29 Aug 1903 in Evansville, IN and died 13 Mar 1986 in Mt. Vernon, IL, my hometown, where he is also buried. After his career as a baseball player was over, Jack became a baseball scout for the Chicago Cubs and later a coach for the Los Angeles Angels. If you would like to read more about him you can check out this post on my other blog Teresa's Tangled Roots or see Wikipedia.

Great Grand Uncle John Ralph Warner

Jack Warner Stats

There are more games to be played at Sepia Saturday so check them out.

1909 Valentine - Pierrot Clown

Pierrot Clown Boy and Dancer

Card Sent to Roy Whiteside, San Jose, CA on Feb 13, 1909

Those Places Thursday - London, Tower Bridge Past and Present

Tower Bridge Late 1800's early 1900's

Postcard of the Tower Bridge London, most likely depicting the late 1800's to early 1900's (note the horse and buggies on the approach.

Tower Bridge September 2009

Photo taken by me on my first (and hopefully not last) trip to London in September 2009.

Sentimental Sunday - Women with Hats! Out for a Stroll

This week's Women with Hats shows a photo postcard of a woman in a tailored walking suit.  The coat is hip length, notched at the lapel and has three buttons.  There seems to be a button or other decoration at the waist of the coat.  The skirt also has buttons that appear to match the jacket.  The blouse is beautiful, somewhat sheer with a necktie and standing collar.  She is wearing white kid gloves and carrying a small, beaded purse with a chain handle.  She is also wearing eyeglasses.  Her hair seems to be pulled up into a bun on the top of her head as was popular for the era.  I believe this photo to be dated between 1909 and 1914 although I am unsure about the hat.  She is not identified and there is no photographer named as well.

Travel Tuesday - Family Outing by Horse & Buggy

They say times were much simpler one hundred years ago.    I guess in many ways they were - I'm sure there were not many traffic jams commuting.  Of course, there were muddy roads with jagged holes, broken wagon wheels, bad weather, and numerous other road hazards with no cell phones to call "Road Rangers." However, in today's picture, this family looks quite ready for whatever outing they are about to embark on, perhaps  a picnic or a visit to another family member's home.  I notice one woman with a fan to keep cool and the young boy in the rear with an umbrella to keep the sun off his head.  This picture postcard appears to have been taken around 1910 and in France according to the back.