1916 Postcard from Landrum, South Carolina

I found this postcard a while back in one of the antique stores around here. It's addressed to George Peterson, 92nd St & Gelson Ave, Brooklyn N.Y.

Dear George:
Hope your
well. and all
the folks. Hope
your having
a good time
your schoolmate
Bonnie O'Connor.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find anything out about schoolmates Bonnie and George.  Were they schoolmates of your parents?

Leslie Ann

Postcard from the Islands, Inverness

I found this postcard in one of Jacksonville's antique stores. The Islands, Inverness  is in Scotland I just found out.

Unfortunately there is no date or postmark so I'm not sure when it was delivered, or if it even was. It's addressed to Mrs. Chas Caine, 67 Westland Ave, Boston, Mass.

A short walk from
the base you may see
for yourself.
yours rec'd other
day will answer
shortly.   C. Edw.

 The mention of a base made me think that the mysterious C. Edw. must have been a military man. I did a little searching and discovered that Inverness was used by the US Navy during WWI as part of the laying of the Northern Barrage. This might put a date on the postcard.

I haven't been able to figure out who Mrs. Chas Caine is either.

If you recognize these names as being in your family, as always drop me a line.

Leslie Ann

Friday's Faces From the Past ~ Three Georgia Ladies

I found this photo a while back while wandering through an antique store in Jacksonville. This picture is obviously a photocopy. You can tell by the way the names are chopped off on the top. I can tell because I am holding the photo and it has clearly not been written on.

Aside from this label that is stuck to the back of the photo, I have had a rough time trying to figure out just who these women are.

The only thing I have been able to discover that ties them together is that they all lived in Jackson, Laurens County, Georgia.

• Ollie Ree Underwood - Ollie was born abt 1913 in Georgia to Cornelius Edison and Annie Ophelia Underwood. According to the 1940 Lovett, Laurens, Georgia Census she was married to a Henry Frey.
• Blanche Smith Brantley - Blanche was born  June 25, 1908 and died September 28, 1954 in Georgia.  I haven't been able to find who her parents were, but according to the 1910 Jackson, Lauren County, GA Census she was living with her grandparents Asa J. and M. A. Smith. Blanche was married to Cleo William Brantley. I was able to find a profile for them both on Find A Grave - Blanche and Cleo.
• Cornelius Smith Dudley - Cornelius was born abt 1903 in Georgia to James and Ella Smith and died 24 Nov 1982 in Johnson County, Georgia. She was married to Gladis Dudley. 

I have just discovered that Miss Cornelius may be the key to their connection. Cornelius and family were living just nine houses away from baby Blanche and her grandparents in the 1910 Jackson, Laurens, Georgia Census. In the 1930 Census the Underwood family is living next door to Cornelius's mother-in-law Mollie Dudley.

So are these ladies just childhood chums, or are they related somehow?  Could Cornelius Smith have been named after Ollie's father? Curious minds want to know.

Sources: 

1. Ancestry.com, Year: 1910; Census Place: Jackson, Laurens, Georgia; Roll: T624_199; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 0109; FHL microfilm: 1374212.
2. Ancestry.com, Year: 1930; Census Place: Adrian, Johnson,Georgia; Roll: 371; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 16; Image: 1034.0; FHL microfilm: 2340106.
3. Ancestry.com, Year: 1940; Census Place: Lovett, Laurens,Georgia; Roll: T627_689; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 87-21.
4. Ancestry.com, Year: 1920; Census Place: Jackson, Laurens, Georgia; Roll: T625_266; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 79; Image: 249.
5. Ancestry.com. Georgia Deaths, 1919-98 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001. Original data: State of Georgia. Indexes of Vital Records for Georgia: Deaths, 1919-1998. Georgia, USA: Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records, 1998.

Leslie Ann

Private John Leeson, New Jersey Volunteers

I found this torn page from a book in an antique store somewhere in Jacksonville, Florida. I have waited too long and don't remember which one.

This is the page that tells all about the conviction of Private John Leeson from Company H, 3rd Regiment, of the New Jersey Volunteers. He was charged with desertion and cowardice.

Accompanying this page was a certificate:

I'm not sure why this page warrants a certification.  I was able to find this same information in two different books on Google.

1. General orders ... 1861,1862 & 1863, adapted for the use of the army and navy. Chronologically arranged, with index, by T.M. O'Brien & O. Diefendorf
2. General orders of the War Department - Vol. 2

If there are descendants who want this original page, just drop me a line.

Leslie Ann

Military Monday ~ Postcard From Pvt Walter Miller

A while back I picked up this postcard from a flea market or an antique store.

It's postmarked Louisville, KY Nov 8, 1942 and addressed to Mr & Mrs E. M. Murdock, Cherry Valley, N. Y., RD Rosebrom

The return address is pvt W A Miller
85th General Hospital
9th Barracks
90 Nichols General Hospital
Louisville Kentucky
U S Army

Dear friends - very glad
to get your letter a few
days ago. Letters from the
friends back home really
do help a lot. I hope
you both are well and
happy.  Reverend (?)
             Walter Miller

 I was able to find a little bit of information on Walter.

Name:	Walter A Miller
Birth Year:	1902
Race:	White, citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country:	New York
State of Residence:	New York
County or City:	Otsego
Enlistment Date:	29 Aug 1942
Enlistment State:	New York
Enlistment City:	Utica
Branch:	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Branch Code:	Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Grade:	Private
Grade Code:	Private
Term of Enlistment:	Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component:	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source:	Civil Life
Education:	4 years of college
Civil Occupation:	Clergymen
Marital Status:	Divorced, without dependents
Height:	68
Weight:	144

Source Information:

National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

According to his obituary posted on Find A Grave, Walter was a Baptist Minister ordained May 16, 1927, in the First Baptist Church in Gloversville, New York. 

He was discharged from service November 21, 1945, after serving in the European Theater for 23 months. He took part in five major campaigns during one of which he was awarded the bronze star. 

It looks like the Reverend didn't have any children so if there are any nieces or nephews out there that would like this postcard, drop me a line.

Leslie Ann

1924 Eighth Grade Commencement Has Found a Home

I am happy to announce another lost family treasure has found a home. The 1924 St. Joseph's School Eighth Grade Commencement is headed to a niece of one of the eighth grade graduates listed above.

Leslie Ann

Kurdish Bibles Found Home

I finally found a home for the Kurdish Bibles that I posted about back in 2010! I usually wait for some family member to find my post to claim their lost family treasures.  I just don't have the time to hunt everybody down.  But for this one I actively searched for a willing recipient.

Actually, I was spurred on to do so by someone else who wanted the bibles just because they were Kurdish bibles.  I had to say "no" because the whole point of this blog is to get these lost family heirlooms into the hands of one branch of the family or another.

In the original post, if you recall, I mentioned not being able to find an obituary.  Well I finally found it which made it so much easier to locate family members.

Clay Today, Orange Park, Florida, published 19 June 2007

Source: Ancestry.com. Florida, Jacksonville Area Obituary Collection, 1851-2009 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Original data: Florida, Jacksonville Area Obituary Collection, 1850–2009. Jacksonville, Florida: Southern Genealogist’s Exchange Society, Inc.

I was able to find a memorial for Charles' mother, Mary Sophia Voigt Perrill, at Find A Grave, and from there make contact with someone who I feel will cherish them as a family treasure.

Leslie Ann