In America in the early 1900s, families would have professional photographs made into postcards. The back was the regular postcard format - left half for a written message and right half for the address, with a spot in the upper corner for the stamp.
I have many of these old photo postcards, but only one that was actually mailed. The rest only identify the people on the front, weren't addressed, but apparently slipped into an envelope with a letter instead.
The two young ladies here are Edyeth "Edith" Anna MORRIS, 6 1/2, and her baby sister, Hazel Velma Morris, b. 10 March 1910 in Lemoore, Kings Co, Calif. They were the youngest children of my great-aunt Eunice Josephine "Aunt Josie" (Cupp) and Samuel Grant MORRIS.
Little Hazel looks to be about 3 months old, so I'm guesstimating this was taken in late May or early June 1910, probably at a studio in Lemoore.
Edith lived to a ripe old 96 (2000), but Hazel passed away in April 1924 at the tender age of 14, the fourth of Sam and Josie's seven children to die in childhood.
27 comments:
Where are my smelling salts! This is breathtaking! How AMAZING that you have your family history in postcard form! I'm quite the rookie when it comes to genealogy but I saw the badge on your blog and decided to join the group on facebook too! Happy PFF§
Marie, it's quite a collection that's been languishing in drawers and boxes for years. There are even regular postcards from relatives that traveled a lot back then. And it *is* a great resource for family history. I'm lucky my mother kept them all!
Welcome to GeneaBloggers too! I found your blog, btw, through one of the members' blogs. ;D
Four out of seven children dying in childhood - how sad and, thankfully, how times have changed.
a great post, so interesting.
Thank you, Sheila. Yes, it was sad to lose so many children. After the first died, for the rest of her life, in every photo of Aunt Josie, she looks "lost". I was able to ID her in several uncaptioned photos thanks to that expression. Someday I'll post the one and only photo in which she doesn't look lost.
That's cool. I never received any postcard like this. Thanks for sharing.
REDLAN, probably not many people alive today have either. If mine are any indication, they were only commonly used from around 1900 until the early 1930s.
ohhh I love the card and its story.. though it's sad that the cute baby didnt manage to live long.. :(
Happy PFF!
imajica's postcards
WOW!!! This is amazing. Gorgeous card and enjoyed the story.
debby
imajica, weren't they adorable? But yes, sad that the baby didn't live to adulthood.
Debby, glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
You're doing a great job by describing your family history so detailed and lovingly. You must have done quite some research. Thanks for sharing.
love the card and the story-- those old photographers studios were amazing weren't they? and people had to really hold still while their pix were taken. What a wonderful slice of the past you present here:-)
Wonderful card and the history adds to it!
I just luv, luv these kinds of stories. Luv the photos and thanks for sharing the story with us!
-marie
Hi
Happy PFF !
Wow this was truly an amazing journey you provided today.
Thank you for sharing all this fantastic family history .
It really motivated me to get back on the trail of my own family history.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Happy Trails
beautiful photo card. Love the clothing, the hair, and of course the story behind it all.
pinkpackrat, yes the old photo studios were amazing. I have to laugh at some of the backdrops they used tho!
daryl, marie, there are many more where these came from!
Terry, if this motivated you to get back on the trail of your own family history, I'm thrilled and will be looking forward to *your* stories!
Michelle, there are rows and rows of lace on baby Hazel's dress that unfortunately can't be seen here. But the two huge bows in Edith's hair make up for it, right? ;D
that's neat you have these photos still around...I'd love to have some like these, but when each grandmother died, one aunt sort of took over allllll the possessions, china, momentos. sigh.
You are lucky to have that stuff. That's a really good picture and it's good that they are identified. I have seen a lot of nameless photos.
That happens too often in many families. The side of the family this photocard came from, but my grandmother gave them to a gr-daughter she knew wouldn't hoard them. Don't know what happened to mementos and such.
How fortunate that you know some of the history of this, but how sad for the family to lose so many children.
My grandparents lost one of their children when he was 21. They were never the same. I understand that "lost" look you mentioned.
Kirby, how sad for your grandparents losing their son at the threshold of adulthood. I think that would be worse than the death of an infant because there would be many more memories in 21 years.
I love old postcards and family photos. Your story with this is so sad. So many families lost their children at an early age back then. Just love your blog. blessings,Kathleen
Thanks, Kathleen! So many children died early back then from diseases that thanks to antibiotics and such, aren't a death sentence anymore. But I'll try to make next week's postcard a happier one.
A sad story, but a wonderful piece of family history. My grandmother buried three of her own children, but their stories live on too.
Now a days we have the "Chrismas card family photo that comes complete with a "What we did/bought/had/found out this year" essay. I love the idea of taking family pics and sending them as postcards - don't have to think up a long and hopefully witty letter 'cause there isn't room for one!
Great piece!
What a lovely postcard and history! I was ill last week through the weekend, so was unable to puruse all the wonderful postcards for PFF! So Happy PFF, a little late!
Beth, sorry you were ill this weekend. Hope you're 100% now and Happy PFF a little late to you too! ;D
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