Written on March 3, 1942 by Dover businessman and famous Sussex Countian, L. Lee Layton, Jr, this short analogous article compares young men and old men to Roosters and Broilers in wartime America. Four pages in pamphlet form, Mr. Layton's article was a call for people on Delmarva to get to work supporting the armed forces, and he used the poultry industry here as an example. And remember, there were no magnetic yellow ribbons in 1942.
Mr. Layton was born in Georgetown in 1889 and was well known in the Dover area for his strong and very public opinions. He was married to Marianne Layton.
"Henry Starner, Art Starner Jr's Grandpa and Grandma Starner."
Henry Starner lived in Idaville, just south of Starners PA in what is now Adams County. The photo was taken by Mumper photogarphers of 27 & 29 Baltimore St. in Gettysburg PA, around the time of the Civil War.
The image above has been cropped and labled for posting. The original photo is the size of the typical cabinet card and the only writing is on the reverse identifying the Starner family.
Learn more about the Starner Family on Rootsweb or on the Starner Family Web Site.
An old AZO real photo postcard taken in Pittsburg PA probably beween 1904 and 1911. The AZO is no older than 1904 and the spelling of "Pittsburg" reverted to "Pittsburgh" in 1911. On the reverse of the card has been written "Henry Phillipps dressed up for Halloween." Henry's name could also be the more common spelling of Phillips.
An old poster inviting folks to the holiness convention at the M.E. Church in Luthersburg Pennsylvania. Held under the auspices of the Armstrong County Interdenominational Holiness Association, and presenting Mr. and Mrs Mark R. Smith, Evangelists and the Reverend A.O. Tillotson, Pastor in Luthersburg. This old thing looks to be circa 1920's. The Holiness movement originated in America way back in 1850 or so and was an endeavor to preserve the teachings of John Wesley.
Luthersburg PA is in Clearfield County. The poster tells you how to get there... Luthersburg is six miles from DuBois on the B.R. & P.R.R. (Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad).
Harve Kauffmans mailed this old postcard to Amos Jay Miller in Topeka Indiana back on October 14, 1949. The old print features a contraption known as William J. Plank's ditch digging machine. This may have been the William Plank of Elkhart Indiana, related to the families Schrock, Zook, Mishler, Plank and Miller.
If you can help me identify Mr. Plank, or if you are a family member, please leave a comment.
An old trade card, circa 1880, encouraging moms to keep their children healthy and strong by giving them Iron Bitters. Made by Brown Chemical Company in Baltimore, this medicine contained cocaine.
Touted for curing indigestion, dyspepsia, fevers, belching and loss of strength, a couple of swigs of the famous Iron Bitters was guaranteed to provide energy and add new life to the nerves.
Mrs. J.W. Downham of Viola Delaware mailed this old Easter postcard to Mary Jenkins of Woodside Delaware on April 4, 1908. Springtime, new life and the wonder of it all adorns this old beauty. Not much of a sentiment on the reverse though... Mrs Downham had invited Mary to "a special display of millinery in my parlor". Maybe that was the Victorian's version of a Tupperware Party. Do they still have Tupperware Parties?
Florence sent this Easter card from Dover Delaware to Mary Jenkins. The embossed card distorted the postmark, but it looks like it was sent in 1908 or 1909. Agnes is Mary's daughter.
Here's what it looks like now (May 16, 2007).
Once, in Woodside Delaware, there was a general store known as the Jenkins Store. This little shack played a central role in the goings-on in Woodside, providing necessities and a gathering place for the locals until 1988. A classic American general store, the Jenkins Store now sits at the Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover, Delaware... in a place called Loockerman Landing. You can see it in this article by delawarewoman.
The store opened in 1865* (when the name of the town was still Fredonia) and was first known as the Reed General Store after proprietors John and Jane Reed. Their daughter Mary Jane Reed and her husband Phillip Jenkins took over the store when the Reeds retired, and ran it until 1947. After that, son Glancy Jenkins and his wife Elsie operated the store. After Glancy died in 1967, Elsie operated the old place until it closed.
*According to Woodside, A Bicentennial Commemorative, published by the Town of Woodside in 1987, the store opened in 1865.
You can find a lot of old postcards to and from the Jenkins family on this blog.
Here's an old postcard, mailed free in 1944 from Bainbridge Maryland. The card has a U.S. Navy postmark and was mailed by A/S Herman G. Moore to his son, Hiram Moore, in Felton Delaware. Mr. Moore told his son that he was sorry that he had missed his birthday and asked him to be a good little man.
The wartime postcard features the big guns of the Flagship Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Navy Training Center at Bainbridge was established in 1942 to train Navy recruits during World War II. To learn more about the center, visit the USNTC Bainbridge Association.
This old St. Patrick's Day postcard dates from around 1907 and features the art of Ellen Clapsaddle. The card was addressed to Miss Irene Hendrickson of Washington DC and it was signed "Mother". The Irish character wishes us "The Top of the Morning to You".
A great old wartime print of men lining up for chow at the reception center at Fort Dix, NJ. I wonder how many of them are still around today? Private Wilton Virdin mailed this to the folks back home in Magnolia Delaware on February 8, 1943. He sent this card to Mr. Russell Virdin, but I have other Virdin Cards in the collection, including Nettie, Medford and Virginia Virdin of Frederica DE.
Click on the photo for a larger view. You can fill your screen with this photo if you want to see the smiles on them faces.
See another old Virdin (Virden) card posted back in June 06, Right Here!
The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 introduced picture postcards to the American public. Here is a postcard from that Expo... a genuine pioneer era postcard. The Expo showcased the power of the coming (20th) century, electricity, and the Fair also introduced carbonated beverages and hamburgers. A young Scott Joplin worked there, honing his Ragtime skills.
A wildly successful Expo, in my opinion.
Four old postcards featuring perspectives on love from about a century ago. Is that a Pittsburgh Pirates Uniform worn by the young lady in the card on the upper left? In May of 1910, that old card was sent by Jack Dixon to Mr. Sheldon Fairchild, 415 Market Street in Wilmington Delaware.
The Johnny on the Spot card was sent to Miss Marian Shakspeare in Marshallton Delaware back in May of 1908.
And in April of 1907, the Holding My Own card was sent to Mr. S.E. Rodgers in Hestle Alabama.
The old postcard featuring an angry lady slapping her husband is unmailed but most likely from around 1910.
The card on the upper left was sent to Mrs Mary Nelson on Madison Street in Wilmington, Delaware nearly a century ago. The card next to it was sent to Miss Ethel Reynolds of Lumberton New Jersey on February 14, 1907.
Happy Valentines Day!
click on this photo to see a good lithographic print of President Lincoln
