Author Topic: The Postcard Thread  (Read 503500 times)

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PB

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #735 on: January 29, 2019, 07:06:11 PM »
No. I just occasionally log into the Smithsonian volunteer transcription stuff.  :)

Sounds interesting - you're definitely good at it.

I'm still puzzled by the Grant card.  Sent in 1912 the Civil War had been over for nearly 50 years.  The scandal plagued Grant Administration had long since come and gone.  Perhaps the sender lived or was stationed there and that was the local or camp claim to fame?


Walks_At_Night

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #736 on: January 29, 2019, 07:23:03 PM »
Sounds interesting - you're definitely good at it.

I'm still puzzled by the Grant card.  Sent in 1912 the Civil War had been over for nearly 50 years.  The scandal plagued Grant Administration had long since come and gone.  Perhaps the sender lived or was stationed there and that was the local or camp claim to fame?

For many, many decades after the Civil War, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was one of the most prominent fraternal organizations in the United States. They were one of the first political advocacy groups in the US and lobbied for veterans pensions, patriotism and a Memorial Day national holiday    It was made up of Union Army, Navy and Marine veterans.   I think they peaked around 1880 to 1890 but by 1912 they probably were still a force.  Perhaps the postcard sender had kin involved in the GAR?

BTW - The Grand Army of the Republic building in Detroit is worth a visit if you are ever in the city.
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Walks_At_Night

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #737 on: January 29, 2019, 07:45:35 PM »
Dug around a bit.  There was most definitely a GAR post in Malone, NY.    Unfortunately the post membership records do not seem to be online for either NY nor CA, so I couldn't
see if any McMahon's or Carlin's showed up.   :(    Here is a little info on the Malone, NY GAR Post

Quote
Malone:   Post 284 Chartered Aug. 12, 1882 - Named for Captain William D. Brennan, Co. A, 142d NYSV. Born 1839; joined Aug. 21, 1862 at Malone as 1st Lt., age 22; Capt. May 1864; WIA Sept. 29, 1864 at Fort Gilmer, VA and lost a leg; discharged May 17, 1865; brevet Lt. Col. NYSV; brevet Major USV; taught school upon his return home and eventually became a lawyer; served as county treasurer and three terms in NYS Assembly; suffered a political reversal and took strychnine March 7, 1881.

Some GAR guys marching in Malone, NY in 1896

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http://www.garrecords.org/

Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #738 on: January 29, 2019, 08:32:40 PM »
Here's another military themed post card.  It was sent to the same person as the Gen Grant car, which I hadn't noticed until just now.

The where and when are right on the front of the card, the post mark is Nov 29 and looks like 1917.  If so the war has been going on in Europe for several years, the US would have entered the war 7 months prior in April.  The sender gives his location (Camp Mills) and company on the back in the upper left

Was a regimental hike part of boot camp/basic training?  There's a dog leading the group, several trombones, drums, trumpets, some sort of flute, and probably more to march by.  On the far right is an open-topped vehicle heading in the opposite direction.

Good old Camp Mills.  The major embarkation camp for troops leaving for Europe during WWI.  I think that my three great uncles went to Europe via Camp Mills.  The camp was a gathering place for troops that had already gone through basic training, but I'm pretty sure that the soldiers were marched around on a regular basis while waiting for their transport ships to arrive.  That marching band seems a bit primitive.  Check out the trombone player in the white (?) pants.     

Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #739 on: January 30, 2019, 02:05:18 AM »
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This postcard was sent on October 20, 1911.  A lady named Leona wrote, "My dear Fred, I will answer your most welcome card received yesterday.  We went to a big (N-word) show last night.  Brown, Ethel, Wilbert and myself.  Certainly had a fine time.  Brown and W. have rented them a large house of 2 rooms and are living happily.  They are working on carpenter work today.  Answer this real soon.  From Yours Truly, Leona."  It is strange how people were so casual in their use of racial slurs back then.  She even framed the N-word with italics. 



Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #740 on: January 30, 2019, 11:41:13 PM »
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The mention of Hurricane Hugo puts this postcard squarly into the 1989/1990 range.

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Hurricane Hugo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Hugo

GravitySucks

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #741 on: January 30, 2019, 11:50:44 PM »
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The mention of Hurricane Hugo puts this postcard squarly into the 1989/1990 range.

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Hurricane Hugo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Hugo

The 15 cent postcard rate was only in affect for about 3 years.
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Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #742 on: January 31, 2019, 12:01:41 AM »
The 15 cent postcard rate was only in affect for about 3 years.

I see that it currently costs 35 cents to mail a postcard.  In fact, the rates for stamps and everything went up as of January 27th.  Glad I bought some forever stamps earlier this month.  I don't use them all that often, so they should last for quite a few years.

PB

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #743 on: January 31, 2019, 10:08:51 PM »
I don't quite know how it works, but after I take a postcard out of the box, I will scan it onto my desktop and from there, transport the image to a free picture processing site called Postimage (https://postimages.org/)  where I get a Direct link https code that fits inside the Insert Image brackets in the EllGab Post reply box.  The postcard image comes out nice and big, that way.  Actually your attached images look just fine and will enlarge nicely after a couple clicks.  I should use the attachment feature more often, especially in the 100 Years Ago thread.  I like how it gives you a count as to how many people are viewing the image.  I hope this helps you.

Testing this out:

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That worked great - thanks Rik.  I'm not sure why she's blue, the postcard is black on sepia

Anyone have ideas on the postmark?  To me it looks like August 21, 1897 - really hard to tell, it could also be 1907, or something else..

PB

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #744 on: January 31, 2019, 10:22:44 PM »
A lot (most) of these postcards were either unused or the stamp has been torn off.  But lots of them do have stamps, and quite a few are from foreign countries, and I've started paying more attention to them.  Surprised to find this one..


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Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #745 on: January 31, 2019, 11:34:28 PM »
Testing this out:

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That worked great - thanks Rik.  I'm not sure why she's blue, the postcard is black on sepia

Anyone have ideas on the postmark?  To me it looks like August 21, 1897 - really hard to tell, it could also be 1907, or something else..

Very welcome.  Your cards look great!  I can't make out the postmark date but that is definitely a 1902 1 cent Franklin stamp.  In fact, if you look closely at the top line it says, Series 1902.

Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #746 on: January 31, 2019, 11:51:12 PM »
A lot (most) of these postcards were either unused or the stamp has been torn off.  But lots of them do have stamps, and quite a few are from foreign countries, and I've started paying more attention to them.  Surprised to find this one..


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When I first started to collect stamps, I bought some unused Hitler stamps for under a dollar. I thought they would be a collectable but as it turned out the Germans printed so many of them that they aren't the least bit scarce.  And also, people don't want them because it is, after all, the unpopular Herr Hitler being shown on the stamps.

PB

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #747 on: January 31, 2019, 11:55:46 PM »
Very welcome.  Your cards look great!  I can't make out the postmark date but that is definitely a 1902 1 cent Franklin stamp.  In fact, if you look closely at the top line it says, Series 1902.

The cards I've posted the last few days are somewhat faded so I've enhanced them a bit.  Writing and other things that aren't readily apparent to the eye really come out.

I enlarged it and looked again at the postmark, and I think it reads Aug, then the day, then the time, then PM, with no year.


Rikki Gins

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #748 on: February 01, 2019, 12:06:21 AM »
The cards I've posted the last few days are somewhat faded so I've enhanced them a bit.  Writing and other things that aren't readily apparent to the eye really come out.

I enlarged it and looked again at the postmark, that's a PM underneath, I think it reads Aug, then the day, then the time, then PM, with no year.

Great job on the enhancements, PB.  The postcards look nice and sharp.  I really like the colors on the card showing that child holding the flowers.


PB

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Re: The Postcard Thread
« Reply #749 on: February 01, 2019, 12:12:35 AM »
Very welcome.  Your cards look great!  I can't make out the postmark date but that is definitely a 1902 1 cent Franklin stamp.  In fact, if you look closely at the top line it says, Series 1902.

It looks like the message goes something like the following. 

''Hello:  How is
everything up
your way.
  Especially the Auto
ride.  Come over
give Lawrencey a ride
and have a game
of ball.  How do you
like my picture.  L -  ''