Postcard Friendship Friday - Not to be Confused With...

Today's Postcard: Aeroplane View of Charleston W. Va.


Charleston, WV, is about 125 miles NW of Alderson, WV as the crow flies. But I'll get to that in a minute.


This week in history marks the first transcontinental airplane flight by a woman. The pilot's name is Laura Ingalls, and she flew from North America to South America on October 9, 1930. Yep, I thought so too. Quite a feat for that beloved American author! Go Laura! Wrong. It wasn't Laura Ingalls Wilder, but rather Laura Ingalls, an American Aviator who also piloted her planes to several other firsts in aviation history including the women's solo record of 17,000. That was for distance, not height.

Aviator (not author) Laura Ingalls

Coincidentally, this week in history also marks her release from what was then called the Woman's Federal Reformatory, Alderson West Va. on October 5, 1943. Laura's crime was her violation of the Foreign Agent's Registration Act of 1938 - specifically for not registering as a German Agent. Which she was.

Federal Prison Camp, Alderson W. Va.

The prison camp was first opened in the 1920's as a reformatory for women, but it has since been renamed, and has hosted several well known inmates.

Martha's Stay Coined the AKA "Camp Cupcake"

Tokyo Rose


Several woman accused of crimes against the US stayed there during and after WWII including "Tokyo Rose" Iva Toguri. Iva was later pardoned. It seems the government built up the case against Iva which included several false witnesses. Hard to believe that could happen, isn't it....
"Axis Sally", Mildred Gillars, spent time there as did another of several "Tokyo Roses", including Velvalee Dickinson. Sarah Good, of the Manson Family stopped by as did the would-be President Ford assassins, Lynn "Squeaky" Fromm, and Sara Jane Moore. Billie Holliday was also held there.

But wait! That's not all! I have one more! - A very timely addition to this week in history! Fresh off the presses!

Monica Conyers


Monica Conyers, former and very notorious, Detroit City Council member, and wife of U. S. Congressman, John Conyers popped in today for a short stay of about 37 months. Her crime, among other things, accepting bribes. Enjoy your stay Monica. Don't look so surprised.

Stop by The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for more Postcard Friendship Friday Fun!

Sepia Saturday - Your Opinion Please?

A

John Jovin 1896 -1921

I've been sorting though hundreds of unmarked pictures while attempting to add faces to the many names in our family tree. It took quite a bit of detective work, including a call to a cemetery, to add the correct first and last names and birth/death dates to picture A above.

It appears his tie is painted on, and it's of an earlier era - like Abe Lincoln. Why would they have a tie painted on the photo??

I could use some help with these next three pictures. They look a bit like John at different ages, and I thought perhaps you would take a good look at them and let me know what your thoughts are:

B

Picture B seems to resemble picture A - at least I see it in the eyes, But I don't see the cleft in his chin and his hair appears to be parted on the left here. What do you think? Does he look to be about 15 years old ?

C

John's brother, Evrin Jovin (my husband's namesake), is the young man standing at the window in this picture. I was able to identify Evrin because the face is identical to that in his memorial photograph. It makes sense that the seated fellow would be John. He looks quite different than picture A, but there's that cleft in his chin. He appears to be about 16 or 17 - what do you think?

D

I think this photo resembles A enough to add it to the tree. That chin cleft is showing. He looks about 22 here. What do you think?

Please feel free to comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts on these pictures -B,C and D: John or not John, and did I get his age about right for each?

For more Sepia Saturdays just click on the Got Sepia? link on my sidebar.

Postcard Friendship Friday: Hawaii Goes Postal

Post Office, Honolulu Hawaii, 1871-1922

In the above postcard, directly to the right of the P.O. you will see a smaller recessed building which served as the post office in 1851.

Aloha and mele (merry) Postcard Friendship Friday! Today in History, October 1, 1851, saw the issue of the first Hawaii Postage stamps.

13 Cent Missionary Stamp

The new stamps were printed in four denominations, including the 13 cent stamp which was used for mail going to the east coast of the United States. These first stamps were known as the Missionary Stamps. The stamp shown in the above picture was hand canceled, probably by using a sponge and red ink according to a very helpful website I referenced for this post: Post Office in Paradise.

Letter with Two Cent Missionary Stamps

This letter, posted on the issue date was sent to 273 Cherry Street on Manhattan Island, New York near the edge of the East River.

Which looked like this.
Cherry St. is on the right side that "thumb", just above the curve.

Hawaii's Postmaster General Henry Whitney

Who looked like this.


Henry Whitney was appointed first Postmaster General of Hawaii. He oversaw the printing of the first stamps, he also appointed postmasters throughout the Islands, and set up regular overland and steamship mail routes within the islands. Prior to the organized mail delivery, messages were sent by word of mouth, or by letters entrusted to travelers, steamship captains and friends going in the general area of the delivery site. Imagine, if you will, a word of mouth message:



"Miz Matilda, a dismal bloke by the name of William Perty said to come and tell you he's wanting to break off your engagement. Lookin' at you, I can't for the life of me see why he would want to do that, but none the less, he sends his regrets and implores you to send the bloody ring back as it belongs to his dear mother, who I remember to be quite the sour sort, so if you ask me, you should look upon this not as a misfortune but as an opportunity to find someone who deserves a pretty lass like you. A brighter bloke, perhaps, who is a little less "light on his feet" (not that there is anything wrong with that) and who doesn't sip his soup like a frigging canary. Anyway, Miz. That's the message. I'll be happy to help you up off the street now, dust you off, and find you some smelling salts if you like before I go search out Mr. Whorton Mullgoon and let him know his bank went bust and his entire family has been blowed into the Atlantic by a nasty cyclone."

If you understand the mountainous geography of the Islands you will know that mail delivery was difficult, treacherous at times, and slow.

Hawaii Postage Paid Post Card

This 2 cent postcard made it's way from Hawaii to Java in just over a year. It was mailed in January 1896 and arrived in February 1897. The postmarks show part of the mailing rout: Honolulu/San Francisco/New York/England/Batvia/Suez/Java.


Early overseas mail was entrusted to travelers, ships captains or ships chandlers. Arrival depended on the trustworthiness of the bearer and the ship arriving safely in port. Copies of legal documents and important papers were often sent on several ships. Should one ship meet with disaster, another would deliver a copy of the document.

Hawaii's ports, naval stations and trade routes, circa 1850.

US mail came in via San Francisco.

Message and Reply Card

This 1883 two sided Message and Reply Card included paid postage and a perforation for folding and tearing.

I gathered information for this post with the help of Wikipedia and the Post Office in Paradise and hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed learning about posting letters in paradise!

Stop by The Best Hearts Are Crunchy for more Postcard Friendship Friday. Also, take time to find and read Eudora Welty's short story "Why I Live At the P.O." It's a delightful read.

Aloha!

Poetry Bus - A Faery Tale

Cinderella's Castle

My submission for Postcard Friendship Friday (Postmarked May, 1977) has taken a late seat on the Poetry Bus.
Funny that the writer, Judy, should mention her feet! Perhaps the glass slippers were a poor choice for the day. And then, there's that quaint "You All". Don't ya'll know it's pronounced ya'll, Judy? Have some hushpuppies an' grits, and ya'll will start saying it right.

This week the first stop for the Poetry Bus is on More About The Song - Rambling with Rachel Fox

Rachel has asked all Poetry Bus patrons to write a poem based on a character from a children's story, book, comic etc. I chose my all time favorite, Cinderella.

We all think of Cinderella as a 19th century Grimm's Brother's tale, but the Cinderella theme has been in existence for thousands of years and may have originated in Greece about 100 BC.

The story we are most familiar with - the one with mice and pumpkins, was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. According to Wikipedia, the French title was "Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre" - or - "Cinderella with the little shoes of glass". The original shoes were described as being made of fur - probably that of a grey squirrel. Those might have been more comfy than glass slippers but certainly not as beautiful - or magical!

Cinderella's life was quite a happy one until the untimely death of her beautiful mother. As we all know, her wicked step-mother made life miserable for the child. Her mother, however, had instilled her with the charm and grace so valued in that time. Those are the qualities, along with her beauty, that saved her from her miserable life - with a little help from her Fairy Godmother. Perhaps her mother also gave her some very important advice:

Some Vine Advice for Cinderella

I tiptoed to my mother's bed

Lest Nurse should find me there

To tuck in all the covers

And brush her golden hair

Her sun would set within the hour

But for now she was my own

She whispered in her fading voice

" Child you'll not be left alone

Faeries will watch over you

They live in garden yon

And will console your splintered heart

When you are set upon"

She gave to me a tiny gift

All wrapped in cloth-of-gold

And brightly sewn with little pearls

At the edges and the fold

"Please, Daughter take the seeds within

This pretty little packet

And plant them on your 16th year

with care as sweet as sacket

Rake and hoe consistently

And daily give a dunkin'

You never know...the day may come

When you will need a pumpkin."

Cynthia Ann Conciatu 09/26/10

Poetry Bus Ride - Hurricane Season

I discovered Poetry Bus, hosted this week by Delusions of Adequacy. Might be just the thing to get me writing again! I'll fall back on a pre-written poem for this week's theme: weddings. I'll fall back even further and add "anniversary" to the wedding theme:

Hurricane Season

(To My Husband on the Occasion of Our 29^th Wedding Anniversary)

About the time the last spiral bands

Of Georges fade from the sky

We’ll set our own path

You and I

As we approach a common attitude

At a latitude and longitude

Of twenty-nine

All the time continuing

Slowly to the north

And west

Toward thirty

As always

Our divergent paths

Track at different speeds

And varied intensities

With diverse priorities

The only commonality

The uncanny calm

Found within our eyes

The ability to see beyond our storms

Enough respect to weather our differences

A capacity to withstand destructive elements

For those who speculate upon our strength

Our potential for landfall

Our ability to endure

We say

Buy Spam

Cynthia Ann Conciatu 1998