Tag: sepia saturday

 

A postcard this time instead of a photo for Sepia Saturday, but it ties together a few other Sepia Saturday posts and fits the prompt image pretty well!  The postcard is written by Boyd Wagner, father of the two kids from  Sepia Saturday 248, husband to Mary Elizabeth Harris from Sepia Saturday 239, to my great-great grandmother Jessie (Battin) Powis.  Boyd and Mary weren’t married until December 20, 1909, so this was sent just two weeks before their marriage if I assume the date to be December 2, 1909 on the postcard.  The postcard was sent from a now non-existent post office in Expedit, Pennsylvania, a small mining town in Cambria County.  It’s a shame the postmark wasn’t better stamped to show the date and location!  Boyd sent the postcard, writing, “With best regards to all, Boyd,” a short and sweet greeting.  As the front of the card states, the image is from Coalport, Pennsylvania, and is a very similar view to the postcard from Sepia Saturday 243  albeit some 40 years time difference.  The one thing that stands out in the postcard above is the same chuch, Coalport Methodist, as  seen in the newer postcard, standing in the bottom left corner, steeple and all.  The church, built in 1902, still exists today in its same layout and my last living grandparent is still a member.

It was a little bit of an odd image for the prompt since it’s not really sepia, but an illustration but it made for a good challenge to match up a photo!  I’ve picked out these two because they were right next to eachother in the album and I’d love to know more about them but haven’t found too much.  They seem to be some sort of instant photo like those from photobooths or something like that.  For a date, I’d say something around 1930 or thereabouts based on the age of the other photos in the album near that page.  They were both definitely taken in Holland and I doubt either woman left The Netherlands.  They’re not incredibly flattering, or about as flattering as an instant photo can be.  The photos are only about an inch wide by 1.5 inches high and are on a heavy cardboard material.  The lettering at the top appears to be part of the backdrop in the photo booth, and there’s a metal hand holding a card with a number, presumably to help identify the image upon pickup.

On the left is Ellechien VanEerden, born 17 November 1876 and died 15 March 1945 in Holland (around Groningen).  It doesn’t appear that she ever married, but she was the sister of my husband’s maternal great grandmother.

On the right is Gertrudia “Grace” Dijkema who married Wessel Visser.  Gertrudia was born 13 September 1886 in Hoogezand, Netherlands and died in 1922 (date unsure).  She was the sister of my husband’s maternal great grandfather.  I don’t know too much about her, but it’s nice to have a photo that was labelled!

So, two ladies from two sides of the same tree!  I have to admit a fondness for these tiny little photos since they were probably taken spur of the moment, not in best-clothes and aren’t entirely perfect – a little blurry and damaged.  Still, a blurry and damaged photo is better than none at all, so I’m glad they’re still around!

What a prompt to start the new year!  The photo has bunches of possible themes, but I went with another band photo that I’d previously posted about here.  The band in question is the Blain City Band from about 1917 as photographed by J. B. Bateman of Bellwood, PA.  Great grandma Olga labelled the photo in her later years with the approximate date and it would line up with her brother Alfred Herbert Powis right before he left for WWI.  Alfred Herbert Powis is likely the gent in the front, seated, with the full mask and trumpet.  We know he was a trumpet player and none of the other men look like him.  In his obituary, it’s noted,

Deceased was of a quiet and peaceable, charitable disposition and a great lover of home. He had numerous friends who mourn his untimely death, a death which was contracted in the service of his country. He gave his life in the defense of liberty and the preservation of a Christian civilization. Deceased was a member of Orpheus Band of Blain City until compelled by sickness to relinquish what was one of his chief delights. He was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, Coalport Lodge No. 350; also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Patton Aerie No. 1244. The interment service of the Loyal Order of the Moose was conducted at the home.

He was a pretty busy fellow involved in a number of organizations.  He passed away on July 6, 1926 at age 33, allegedly having brought back some sort of illness from World War I.  His death certificate lists cause of death as Pulomary Tuberculosis.  The family kept a number of his posessions that we found recently in a box – notably his helmet and gas mask – and never quite recovered from his passing so young.  His wife, Goldie, never remarried either and the only child they had together  only lived for two days.  Pretty sad story to start the new year, but a great photo to share for the theme.