The Dewey Post Card Co.

The Dewey Post Card Company was a postcard publisher out of Dewey, Oklahoma, according to our Grand River Dam card. And there may be non-digitized info out there somewhere, as in city directories, that would shed more light on the company, and certainly one would presume that other postcards from them must have survived. (Nothing showing at the moment.) The one thing we did find though, is the publisher’s connection to the photo chronicles of one of the most important events in Waco, Texas history, and a slight glimpse into downtown happenings maybe a month or two afterwards:

From The Waco News-Tribune. (Waco, TX) July 22, 1953.

The storm referenced above was the devastating F5-strength Waco Tornado that tore into (descended on – an even better description – from the Teardrop Memorial) the city on May 11th,1953, resulting in the tragic loss of 114 lives, as well as injuries to around 600 and property loss valued at the 1953 rate of over 50 million….The hail before the tornado had become as big as baseballs….From the sound of the ad, Dewey was one of several (?) enterprises set up at the “Waco storm photo stand” downtown at 5th and Austin, downtown being one of the worst hit areas. (Was it still mostly rubble at this point?) See the links below for detailed information and photos.

Sources:  “Notice!” Dewey Post Card Co. Ad. The Waco News-Tribune, July 22, 1953, Wednesday, p. 15. (Newspapers.com).

1953 Waco tornado outbreak. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Waco_tornado_outbreak. (accessed June 11, 2017).

Simmons, Brian M. “The Most Horrible Storm: A Firsthand Account of the 1953 Waco Tornado.” May 8, 2012. Baylor University’s The Texas Collection. (http://www.baylor.edu/lib/texas/) Accessed June 11, 2017.

W. S. Darling, the “Indian Curio Man”

Postcard Header W S Darling

This is the beautiful postcard back header that appears on a 1908 card that shows the following publisher information:

W. S. Darling, the “Indian Curio Man” Harbor Springs, Michigan.

It’s unknown whether this header was exclusive to W. S. Darling, or whether other publishers may have used it. (A 1909 offering, currently for sale elsewhere online does show a different header for him.)

Willard S. Darling was born in Jackson, Michigan on December 2, 1870.

On November 30, 1892 he married Bertha E. Stutsman in Harbor Springs. She was born in Indiana about 1871,  the daughter of A.R. Stutsman and Martha Byerly. Willard was the son of Christopher Columbus Darling and Louisa Felshaw. His occupation was Printer on the marriage record.

There are lots of records appearing online for Willard S. Darling but a 1903 city directory, which included Harbor Springs, confirms that he was the “Indian Curio Man.” Below is the entry evidently indicating that he was partners with Henry S. Babcock, under the name of Babcock & Darling. The second entry shows their ad that appeared at the bottom of the same page regarding the Harbor Springs Graphic.

1903 Directory

Ad2

More records…

1910 census, Harbor Springs – with wife Bertha, and their daughter, Maie; occupation Printer at a newspaper;

1920 census, Harbor Springs –  with wife Bertha E., and daughters Maie and Josephine; occupation Oil Inspector for the state.

1930 census, Harbor Springs – with wife Bertha and daughter Josephine; occupation Tax Collector.

1940 census, Harbor Springs – with wife Bertha, daughter Josephine (public school teacher) and lodgers Geraldine Wolfe and Mildred Ives; occupation Rep for the sales tax department.

Willard S. Darling died in Petoskey April 8, 1943, and was buried in Harbor Springs. Occupation given on death record was State Sales Tax Collector.

Sources:  Original data: Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867–1952. Michigan Department of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics. (Ancestry.com)

Polk’s Petoskey City and Emmett County Directory, 1903, Vol. 1, p. 176. Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Little Traverse, Emmet, Michigan; Roll: T625_763; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 161; Image: 776. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1930; Census Place: Harbor Springs, Emmet, Michigan; Roll: 981; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0007; Image: 666.0; FHL microfilm: 2340716. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1940; Census Place: Harbor Springs, Emmet, Michigan; Roll: T627_1748; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 24-8. (Ancestry.com)

“Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800–1995.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010. FHL 966505. Ancestry.com. Michigan, Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995.

E.T.W. Dennis & Sons, Ltd.

ETW Dennis logo closeupETW Dennis Logo circa 1908

This logo circa 1906 – 1910?  See our York Minster post for the front side.

This is an example of the newer version of the ” ‘Dainty’ Series” logo showing figure holding lantern, by publisher E.T.W. Dennis & Sons, Ltd. We’ll have to look for a postcard to buy, scan and put up here that will do the earlier version justice. But for now here’s a link to click on from the website Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City, a great site which we’ve had occasion to mention on previous posts. Just scroll down on the page to find the publisher entry in the spotlight here.

Between the two logos, there’s the obvious addition of the scroll work and company name in the later version. But though there are major similarities in the little scene with the two figures, the faces of the two appear to be different. I think the one we have shows a little girl, and the other shows a grown man.

Edward Thomas West Dennis (1847 – 1923) was a Quaker who owned the Mercury weekly newspaper in Scarborough, England. His company produced the first postcard in England in 1894. The firm’s “Dainty Series” ran from about 1902 – 1910. In April 1905 the firm became a Limited Company (Ltd.) Click here for an excellent compilation of biographical details on Dennis. And see the same site’s www.webber-postcard.me.uk  homepage for a rundown of dates and links for Dennis’ early beginnings to modern times, after year 2000 and the company being bought out by the Irish postcard firm of John Hinde.  Also of interest on Webber’s site regarding the “Dainty Series” was a postcard found without either logo. Click here for the example and possible explanation.

One more “Dainty Series” example (with those words in the stampbox) was found on Attic Postcards showing letters “D” and “S” inside a diamond shaped design. This is found on an artist-signed card entitled “Snowdon from Capel Curig.”

Update: Attic Postcards mentioned above unfortunately appears to be no longer available.

Below, another example of a “Dainty” logo that appears on the back of the “Sheffield Wednesday” postcard, from a reader (thanks, John). The Sheffield Wednesday Football Club had used “Ground Owlerton” before the grounds were renamed Hillsborough in 1914, so this Dainty Series logo was in use at least in 1914 and sometime prior.

And another postcard from a reader (thanks, Mara). This card’s publisher logo is the same as the one directly above. A view of High Street, Maidstone, Kent County, England:

Sources:  ETW Dennis. Web accessed February 9, 2015. (http://www.scarborough-heritage.org/resources/Commarch/ETW%20Dennis.pdf)

E.T.W. Dennis of Scarborough. www.webber-postcard.me.uk. Web accessed February 8, 2015. (http://www.webber-postcard.me.uk/Post1900Dennis.htm)

Snowdon, Capel Curig, Wales, Elmer Keene, Dainty Series, Dennis & Sons Postcard. Attic Postcards. Web accessed February 9, 2015. (http://www.atticpostcards.com/images/RH26/034.html)