John B. Hawkins Street Scene RPPC, 1920s – 1930s

Real Photo Postcard, divided back, unused. Circa 1920s – 1930s.  Made by:  John B. Hawkins, Marion, Massachusetts.

Price:  $12.00

This is possibly a Marion, Massachusetts, or neighboring town street view – showing a line of parked cars in front of stores, a man on our left about to cross the street, and another on our right, seated, at the curb. Surprisingly, we’re not finding any age-appropriate records for photographer John B. Hawkins, in all of Mass, though city directories online in Plymouth County (1910 – 1940) are only scattered pages of certain years. We’d therefor, have to contact a local historical society or local libraries for resolution to some of the mysteries herein. And, the image is not of the best quality for clarity, but may be of value to someone, for sure.

It’s disappointing to be unable to read the store names or signs after enlarging the image……Wait, we can just make out “Ice Cream” and the brand or shop name in two words…….but it’s indecipherable. (Sometimes if you gaze at almost-readable signs long enough, you get inspiration, but not happening for me, this time.) But still, every picture evokes a feeling….Staring at the scene (if we could just connect to a Hogwarts kind of thing, it would come to life and we’d see that guy actually cross the street, and maybe someone come out of one of the shops, and some movement from our friend on the right) but, primarily, in our “fixed moment” that the camera is offering, we might focus on that slightly dejected-looking gentleman, seated on the curb with head down, shoulders a little slumped – is he thinking about the cares of the day/month/year that are weighing on him……or is he just waiting for a ride? Whatever the case, he kind of makes you want to jump into the frame and go and offer him a friendly arm around the shoulders.

Calle de Montes de Oca, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

Real Photo Postcard, unused. Circa 1941. EKC stamp box.

Price:  $6.00

These types of cards are always intriguing at purchase (and beyond). You’re dying to enlarge the image so you can see more detail…..but just in general, any photo or painting, drawing, etc. that leads you down a path….well, it’s always an invitation to explore. And for me, after soaking in the pastels of the previous card, I want to fill this one in with color, too. So, here’s our quick “fix” below:

Calle de Montes de Oca can be translated from Spanish as “Goose Mountains Street.” It’s located in the city of San Miguel de Allende, in the Central Mexican state of Guanajuato. And the church in the distance, La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, is said to be one of the most photographed in Mexico.

Sources:  “paintings of calle montes de oca san miguel de allende” Google.com search (accessed March 6, 2022).

San Miguel de Allende. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Miguel_de_Allende (accessed March 6, 2022).

Paris-Plage, La Chapelle Jeanne d’Arc

Divided back postcard. Postmarked July 3, 1917, Army Post Office. Stamped:  Passed Field Censor 2289. Publisher/printer:  Neurdein & Co., Paris.

Price:  $10.00

Plage is beach, so….beach in Paris or Paris Beach? Ahhh, so the full name of the town is actually Le Toquet Paris-Plage, which is located in northern France, on the shores of the English Channel. Le Toquet was, at one time, known as “Paris-by-the-Sea.”

Addressed to:   “Master J. Obery, Polkyth, Saint Austell, Cornwall.”

“Dear Frank. How are you. I saw a little boy who has had a bad throat – how is yours. Keep smiling. Best love   Daddy”

J. Obery was Francis John Patrick Obery, born East Ham, Essex, London in 1910, son of Edward Richard Hooper Obery, born about 1879 and Kate Hooper, born about 1876, who had married on August 5, 1905, in St. Austell, Cornwall. The parish marriage register shows the groom’s occupation as schoolmaster and that his father’s name was John Edward Oliver Obery. (Two middle names were seemingly a tradition.) Kate’s father was Francis Hooper. Edward’s address at the time of marriage was 141 Milton Ave., E. Ham, London and Kate had been living in Watering Hill, Cornwall.

It’s hard to write about some of these cards and photos sometimes. Maybe because there’s that familiar feeling of being able to walk over to the next block and find the Obery Family, or a sense somehow of a trillion points in a person’s life with connections back to ancestors, and forward to their descendants, an overwhelming fullness you can feel but that’s difficult to translate…..

That said, a quick look at the 1911 census shows Edward, Kate, Francis and Edward’s widowed mom, Phillipa Obery, all at 141 Milton Avenue. We later picture the Oberys, minus Edward, locating to Cornwall to stay with Kate’s family, for hopeful safekeeping, while holding Edward in their constant prayers. For context re the move to Cornwall, the month prior to this card being written, 162 civilians were killed in a German daylight air raid on London, June 13th. Another 57 civilian lives were lost in another raid July 7th, just four days after the postmarked date on the card.

Edward served in the Army Veterinary Corps and yes, thank God, he did make it back to his family.

A little about the postcard image:  So, this would have been produced from a photo, not necessarily true to the original, as sometimes the printer or publisher removed or added things (according to what they felt was needed). Anyway, there are some nice details to pick out within the full scene. (The whole is maybe reminding you of a bunch of miniatures set up in a reproduction.) We notice that the road’s edges must slope downward, since the car’s on an angle, driving “in the ditch” some would call it 😉 ; there’s one of those wooden pole fences held together by wire, leaning a little this way and that, as they are wont to do, the fence looking out-of-place with the very stately 4-story building behind it (Or vice-versa!) Moving to our right, we can partially read a sign for an Auto Garage; sweeping further, we pick out three buildings that have half-timbering on a portion of their facades (the vertical stripes with some diagonals) and then of course there’s the church, Saint Joan of Arc, which is not very old at all at this time, having first opened July 14, 1911. (Incidentally this church sustains damage in the Second World War, but is then, thankfully, able to be restored.)

Sources:  Le Toquet. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Touquet (accessed November 11, 2020).

England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013. (Ancestry.com).

Class: RG14; Piece: 9565; Schedule Number: 88. 1911 England Census. (Ancestry.com).

“The First World War. Spotlights on History. Long Range Bombers.” nationalarchives.gov.uk. (accessed November 14, 2020).

The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO). Ancestry.com. UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920.

Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995.

Braunlage, Germany, January 1928

Old photo taken in Braunlage, Germany, January 1928.

Price:  $8.00         Size:  About 3 and 5/8 x 2″

The back of this photo is written in German. Thank you to our informed reader (see comment) for figuring out the name of the woman in the photo!

Lotte und ich in Braunlage, Januar 1928….Hans.” [?]  That appears to be the man’s name “Hans” at the bottom right, so translating as:   “Me and Lotte in Braunlage, January 1928.”

And, it’s a beautiful moment captured in time:  a smiling young man whose gaze has met the camera, in beret, plaid scarf and open overcoat and an equally stylish young woman, her smile and gaze caught looking downward, in cloche hat and fur trimmed coat. They’re walking down a snow-lined street in the town of Braunlage.

Scheuneman’s Store, Gary, Indiana

The page below had likely been part of a publication on Lake County history or maybe German immigrants to Indiana. Per the writing on the back, it had been saved by a Scheunemann and Raasch descendant, until it later ended up at a paper fair, where we found it.

Size of full page:   About 9 x 5 and 1/2″        Size of image:  6 x 2 and 3/4″

Price:  $10.00

A page out of Gary, Indiana history….circa 1880s – 1890s

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“Uncle Fred. Scheunemans store in Gary with Aunt Alice, Alma & Walt & their hired girl standing[?] also Uncle Fred…[?]… Granpa Raasch was the delivery man, Granpa Scheuneman & Aunt Minnie’s home next door to south & Uncle Fred &…[?]…lives up stairs above store.”

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Cropped version below. The sign on the right in the photo is quite difficult to read, and we could be wrong, but the first two lines look like “Howe. U.S.”

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Below, the 1880 Federal Census for Tolleston, Indiana (now part of Gary) shows Fred Schoeneman (Sheuneman) born 1830, his occupation listed as Extra Sand [?] something to do with the sand mining industry; his wife Wilhemina, born 1825; son Fritz, born 1855, working in general grocery store and bar; daughter Gusty, born 1860, clerk in store; son Richard, born 1863, works on railroad; and daughter Wilhelmine, born 1868, keeping house. All are stated to be from “Pommern” except for Wilhemine, born in Indiana.

1880-tolleston-in-censu

Below, the 1900 Federal Census for Calumet, Indiana also may fit the Scheuneman family that owned the store. (The ages fit if Ludwig is Fred and for daughter Wilhelmina.) Appearing there are Ludwig Scheunemann, born May 1830, Germany, widowed; daughter Wilhelmina, born November 1868, Indiana, single. Living next door is William C. Bunde, born April 1871, Indiana; his wife Emma, born November 1875, Indiana; stepchildren (to William Bunde, if census is correct) Alma Scheunemann, born February 1883, Indiana and Walter Scheunemann, born December 1885, Indiana; and servant August Wagner, born October 1880, Germany. Note that August Wagner’s occupation is grocer-delivery man.

1900-calumet-in-census-scheunemann

Sources:  Year: 1880; Census Place: Tolleston, Lake, Indiana; Roll: 291; Family History Film: 1254291; Page: 487B; Enumeration District: 066; Image: 0393. (Ancestry.com)

Year: 1900; Census Place: Calumet, Lake, Indiana; Roll: 383; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0022; FHL microfilm: 1240383. (Ancestry.com)

Tolleston. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolleston. (accessed October 29, 2016).

Pomerania. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomerania. (accessed October 30, 2016).

Havana Cuba, Street Scene 1920s

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Photo circa 1920s. Street scene, Havana, Cuba.

Availability status:  SOLD            Size:  3 and 1/4 x 4 and 3/8″

The street name is unknown, but this is a wonderful glimpse back in time, circa 1920s Havana. Note the cobblestone street, streetcar, the rear-view of the smaller vehicle of the rubber-tired variety 😉  the beautiful wrought iron railings, the very tall double doors on the corner building on our left, and the people going about their day. Funny that everyone in the photo, except for those appearing in the extreme background, are facing us. Check out the guy partially in our view on the far right. He’s easy to miss!

Spanish-born hat maker, Evaristo Tanda

We’re not seeing Havana city directories for this time-period online at present, though maybe someone will post a comment which will help pinpoint the street, but in any case, the most prominent business sign in the photo shows:   “Evaristo Tanda – Fabricante de Gorras”  translating as “Evaristo Tanda – Manufacturer of Caps.”  Evaristo was born in Spain about 1885. He appears on several ship passenger lists; the 1915 and 1917 record that he was single, occupation Merchant, and reveal that he had cousins, Angel and Francisco Puentes, in Matanzas, Cuba (could be city or province) the city being located on the northern coast of Cuba (about an hour and a half east from Havana, in present-day drive time.)

Below, partial view of the 1915 ship passenger list for S.S. Saratoga, en route from Cuba to New York, showing Evaristo Tanda’s last permanent residence as Havana, and nearest relative, cousin Angel Puentes:

1915-passinger-list-for-evaristo-tanda

An earlier S.S. Morro Castle

The 1917 passenger list for Evaristo Tanda and others, records their arrival from Cuba to New York, on Morro Castle. Research shows this was likely the passenger steamer built October 1900, original owner NY & Cuba Mail, which was scrapped in 1926, definitely not to be confused with the ship whose name became well-known (at least at that time) after the terrible 1934  Morro Castle tragedy, in which that vessel was destroyed by fire under mysterious circumstances which resulted in the loss of 137 members (accounts vary) of passenger and crew.

Below, Evaristo Tanda’s 1917 arrival in New York from Cuba on the earlier steamer Morro Castle:

morro-castle-ship-record-for-evaristo-tanda   

ss-morro-castle-from-library-of-congress  

Above, believed to the ship named on the 1917 record, the 6,004 ton passenger steamer Morro Castle (1900 – 1926) original owner N.Y. & Cuba Mail. (Photo courtesy Library of Congress.)

Below, Evaristo’s arrival in Key West, Florida on steamer Cuba in 1925.

1925-evaristo-tanda-passenger-list

Sources:  Year: 1915; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2423; Line: 10; Page Number: 109. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.

Year: 1917; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 2512; Line: 5; Page Number: 131. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.

SS Moro Castle (1930) n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Morro_Castle_(1930). (accessed September 18, 2016).

Cramp Shipbuilding, Philadelphia PA. September 3, 2014, updated. http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/inactive/cramp.htm. shipbuildinghistory.com. (accessed September 18, 2016).

S.S. Morro Castle, Cramps Shipyards, Philadelphia. Detroit Publishing Company Photograph Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. (accessed September 18, 2016).

The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Alien Passenger List of Vessels Arriving at Key West, Florida; NAI Number: 2790468; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 – 2004; Record Group Number: 85. (Ancestry.com. Florida, Passenger Lists, 1898-1963.)

Writing Home From France

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I’d been looking for something to put up for Memorial Day and so this and the following post are a little late. It sounds like the author of this little note to his Mom would have made it back home just fine (and we pray he did) but just in remembrance of those men and women who’ve served and had not…..here’s a postcard showing Saint-Aignan (Loir et Cher) – Vue Générale et le Pont, written shortly before the end of WWI. The sender writes:

“Aug. 27, 1918.  E.E.F.  Dearest Mother, I’m fine and dandy, how are you? This is the town I am at. This is a beautiful river I go swimming there quite often. On the left hand corner is the church I spoke to you about last Sunday. You can’t see half of it. Had a lovely time Sunday the boys…”

It sounds like there may have been another page or two after the above, unless he meant “with the boys.” And that is the River Cher that our guy goes swimming in, and the Collegiate Church of St. Aignan that he’s mentioning, on the left.

The publisher logo appearing on the back, top left, shows the letters IPM. The words surrounding the letters are hard to make out, except for “Paris.”

Divided back postcard, unused with writing. Dated August 27, 1918. Publisher:  IPM, Paris, France.

Price:  $4.00

Bird’s Eye View, Utica, New York

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This is the third of three in the small Cunha Family Collection (we may find more, you never know.) The sender has written in Portuguese to his friend, Mrs. John Cunha who is Mary (Azevedo) Cunha. The family name also appears as Da Cunha.

If anyone can translate the message, do please reply to this posting. The handwriting is a little difficult to read. It starts out,  “Utica NY. September 3, 1908. My good friend…”  and is addressed to:

“Mrs. J. Cunha, 115 Sumner St, Taunton, Mass.”

This postcard view is a pretty common one online, in black and white and the colorized version above. It shows up as early as 1906, and a later, somewhat different view, identifies the prominent street as Genesee. The sign on the building on the left  “Warnes, Pianos”  is advertising the establishment of William Warnes, who shows in city directories under the heading “Pianos and Organs” at the business address of 3 Gardner Block

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked September 4, 1908 from Utica, New York. Publisher:  Utica Paper Co., Utica, N. Y. Made in Germany. Series or number 41596.

Price:  $5.00

Source:  Utica Business Directory, 1907. p. 782. (Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1989.)

Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, Mass.

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“New Bedford, Mass. One of New Bedford Quaint Streets. Johney Cake Hill, Corner Union and Bethel Streets.”

This is the second of three cards in The Cunha Family Collection. The sender wrote:

“My Dear Friend, I drop this post card so to let you know that you might see a friend Sunday, that you havn’t seen for some time. Yours Truly. M.S.”

Sent to:   “Mrs. Mary Cunha, 115 Sumner St., Taunton, Mass.”

Behind the name

The definition of “bethel”  is a holy place or a chapel for seamen. The street name Bethel is present-day Johnny Cake Hill; the address of 15 Johnny Cake Hill being home to the Seaman’s Chapel whose facade bears a plaque with a quote from Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. (See below for an interesting 1928 newspaper article from the Emporia, Kansas’ Emporia Gazette.) A Wiki article on New Bedford tells us that the city’s nickname is “The Whaling City” because it was one of the most important whaling ports during the 19th century; also that the area that includes New Bedford, Greater Providence and Fall River is home to the largest Portuguese-American community in the U.S.

The Bethelen Cafe

Always intrigued by the small shops and restaurants that appear in these town views, we looked for the Bethelen Cafe that shows on the corner there, but didn’t find any specific mention of it in city directories, Google books, or historical newspapers currently online. Perhaps it was replaced by The New Bedford Whaling Museum? No, the well-known museum is up the street a ways. But check out the following page from Roger Chartier’s WhalingCity.net  which shows a detailed history with several wonderful old photos of the corner of Union and Bethel, including one of the St. Helena restaurant. You’ll be able to take in the detail of the fountain in front of the restaurant – note that there is also a fountain in our postcard image but it’s a different one. Since our postcard was sent in 1909, an estimated time-frame for the card’s view would be that year or within several years prior. We might guess that the Bethelen was a brief successor to the St. Helena Restaurant, with the name Bethelen being a combination of Bethel and Helena.

1928 newspaper article re the Seaman’s Bethel (courtesy Newspapers.com).

Moby Dick Mast Article

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked October 3, 1909 from New Bedford, Mass. Publisher:  The Metropolitan News & Publishing Co., Boston, Mass. and Germany. No. G 15 121. Made in Germany.

Note:  At the time of this posting, surprisingly, no other postcards of the same view are showing up online.

Price:  $15.00

Sources:  New Bedford, Massachusetts. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Bedford,_Massachusetts. (accessed October 25, 2015).

Chartier, Roger. “St. Helena Restaurant – Cafe…” WhalingCity.net. (Web accessed October 25, 2015.)

“Moby Dick” Mast In Tars’ Pulpit Must Be Torn Down. Emporia Gazette. 19 Jan 1928. Thur, p. 6. (Newspapers.com)