Granny’s Genealogy

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

“FIND
A PRETTY GIRL
TO LET YOU
WHISPER IN
HER EAR
AND
THE TROUBLES
THAT BESET YOU
WILL QUICKLY
DISAPPEAR”

Postmarked, Boon, MICH; Aug 24, 1911, P.M.

Addressed to:

Mr George Lamunion
Manton
Mich
% Belle Fellows

Mesick, Michigan

Dear Uncle
Jack is better|
so he is up
Nellie is sick
her throat is
all white
this morning she
is up some from
Olive

written starting after the word white and up the side of the correspondence section:

can you come over and stay a week

Olive

This card describes illness affecting the family of Merritt Winfield “Scott” Lamunion. It seems that the family could use some help, and they sent to Scott’s brother George to see if he could come.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

“A Fallen Monarch”

This card tells a lot about the time in which it was produced, I’ve chosen to include the test from the back:

A FALLEN MONARCH. The elephants of Africa have not been domesticated to the same extent as those of India. They inhabit the forests of Uganda and other districts in large numbers and immense herds have been seen in the region which will be traversed by the Roosevelt party. The elephants are being protected by the game regulations and there is not much danger of their becoming extinct. The height of the elephant in the picture is 11 feet two inches. The tusks are eight feet ten inches long with a circumference of 19 1/2 inches and a weight of 112 to 115 pounds.

“ROOSEVELT TOUR” PUBLISHED BY ARTHUR CAPPER, TOPEKA, KANSAS.
COPYRIGHTED, 1909, BY ARTHUR CAPEER, TOPEKA, KANSAS

____________

Postmark Mesick, Mich Nov 22, 1??0

Addressee:
Charles Tinker
Manton
Mich
RD No 1

Charley how many
steel rat traps will
you let me take to
use this winter if I
come over after them
write me Jessie has a
nother boy hair 4 inches
long 9 lb 7 oz yours res
GW Jones

There is another word or two under the printed text at the bottom which I cannot read.

George Jones married Mable G. Burdick in 1896 in Baldwin, Lake County, Michigan. Mable Burdick was the sister of Susie M. Burdick Fenton Longstreet. Although Belle wasn’t related to the Burdicks, her daughter, Edna, married Ross P. Fenton, Susie Burdick’s son from her first marriage to John P. Fenton. So, Mable was Belle’s daughters aunt by marriage.

Interestingly, a cousin who did much research has this George Jones as “George W. Jones”; and this postcard is most certainly signed, “GW”. I just checked the early Michigan records at Family Search Labs, and Jones is listed on the Michigan state birth returns as George Perry Jones.

It may be that record is an error, or perhaps no one remembered what was on it. George Washington Burdick was the father of Susie, Mable and their siblings. Perhaps George wanted the association with his grandfather recognized and remembered; therefore used the middle initial “W”. Or, perhpas this card came from a GW Jones who had no association with Belle and her family.

I sure don’t know who “Jessie” with the new baby is, but there was a Jessie Jones among the Lake County, Michigan records, perhaps George was referring to one of his relatives.

One more thing, I’m glad I don’t have to borrow rat traps for this winter!

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Some thoughts always find us young,
And keep us so.
Such a thought is the love of the universal
and eternal beauty.
EMERSON

A card postmarked the 4th, 1913.

Dear Ma,
We got hear alright
will go to Bessie’s
Monday we will
be home Thursday
FF

Frank Fellows, 1895-1969, was the only son of Belle and Henry Fellows who survived to adulthood. He was also Belle’s youngest child.

I searched my database for “Bessie” and found one possibility, Bessie Ann Lamunion. Bessie, 1885-1965, was the daughter of Merritt Winfield “Scott” Lamunion and his wife Emma Adelia Widger. She was Belle’s niece.

Bessie Lamunion married 3 times, in 1903 to Claude Hammond in Sherman, Wexford County, Michigan; in 1910 in Antioch, Wexford County, Michigan to Elgie Stewart; and later to Lyman Morrison. According to the 1910 US Federal Census, Bessie, Eligie and her daughter from the Hammond marriage, Neva, were living on a farm in Antioch Township. By 1920, they were located in Colfax, an adjacent township.  I don’t know If they lived at some distance from the neighborhood between these census.

I sure wish I could read the city on this one, I’d like to know where Frank went. It would also be nice to know who “we” was.

Frank Fellows married the first time in 1914, and again in 1920, both times to Lila Mable Longstreet. Lila was the daughter of Harmon H. Longstreet and Susie Melissa Burdick. Susie Burdick and her first husband, John P. Fenton were the parents of Ross P. Fenton, who married Edna Fellows. So, siblings Frank and Edna Fellows married half siblings, Lila Longstreet and Ross Fenton.

None of the above solves the mystery of what “Bessie” Frank Fellows visited in 1913 and who accompanied him.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

We always anticipate
helping you celebrate
Christmas by sending
Good wishes unending.

Addressed to:

Mrs. Charlie Tinker
Manton
Mich.

R#

Postmark: Grand Rapids, Mich; Dec 27 1932, 2:30 p.m.

504 Kenwood St. N.E.

Dear Aunt & Uncle,
It is cold here and
some snow. Every-
body is quite well.
We have popped some of the corn &
it is good.
Best wishes to all.

Len & Huldah

Huldah Carter and Len Terwilliger were niece and nephew-in-law of Belle. Huldah was the daughter of Belle’s sister Emily and her husband Andrew Carter.

It must be that Belle and Charlie had sent or taken some popcorn to Huldah. I can’t imagine that the growing season was long enough for popcorn in Wexford County, but it is equally hard to imagine them purchasing a gift.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

To My Affinity

The postmark is illegible.

Mrs. Belle Fellows
Manton
Mich

Dear mother
and all we have
got moved I want
to come over
Sunday if Ross
don’t think the
horse are do to
much they are
working every
day I wash yester
day. Emma was ?
? ? took care
of horses Edna

Edna was Belle’s daughter. This must have been written after she married Ross Fenton on 11 September 1910. Reading and comparing this card confirms that item 69 was sent by Edna to Belle, the handwriting is the same.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

Merry Christmas !

My Thoughts go out
to meet you
While the Christmas
candles shine,
My kindest wishes
great you,
Good friend of
Auld Lang Syne

Borghild & George
1928

I’ll just say that I couldn’t find Borghild & George on the 1920 or 1930 census, in any county. So, I don’t know who these people might be.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

A spring summer scene

“Easter Greetings”

Mrs. Charles Tinker
Manton, Mich
RFD

The stamp is ripped off, and the postmark damaged. The card was sent from Michigan, that much of the postmark can be read.

3 24 19/10

Hello How are you
we are having nice
wether here some are
plowing the roads are
nice and dry the snow
went off without any rain
your Friend Mrs
Bisard

Asahel and Emily (Salisbury) Bisard were the parents of Franklin Bisard, who married Elizabeth L. Lamunion. There is a biography of the family in a history of Newaygo County, which can be found on Google Books.

It seems more likely that this card was sent by a daughter-in-law of Asehel and Emily. In 1910 the census reveals there were two married sons of Asahel and Emily in Ashland Township in addition to Elizabeth and Franklin, Orson “Oss” and Maggie, and Charles and Emma. Asahel and Emily are not found, they probably died before 1910. There are also several other Bisard/Bizard/Bizzard families in the area which could have contained the “Mrs. Bisard” who sent this greeting.

Or it may have been a  “Mrs Bisard” from another Bisard family in the area.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

A Very Happy Birthday

To greet you now this merry day
This little Card I send.
And every pray that gladness may
your path in life attend.

Postmarked Mesick, Mich
July 14, 1923 5 p.m.

Mrs. Charley Tinker
Honor Mich
in care Mrs Wrede(?)

This leaves
us well hope
it finds you
the same it
is raining
here this
morning Henry

I don’t know what Henry this is from. Belle’s birthday was July 15th, so this was mailed just in time. Perhaps the mail was faster in 1923.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

“Best Wishes”

The postmark is Meauwataka, Mich, but the date is illegible.

Mrs. Belle Fellows
Manton
Mich

Dear mother
I think I shall
be home Sunday
if nothing happens
or if it does not rain.
I am going to a dance
Friday night was
to one last Friday
night had a good
time we will be
there by 12 o’clock
if nothing happens
From

E?

This card was probably sent between 1905 when Henry Fellows died and 1909 when Edna married Ross Fenton, and Eunice married Hiram Smith. Family lore says that Edna worked at the “County Home”, the poor house near Meauwataka. If this was from Edna, perhaps she mailed it from there.

Update, I now know this is from Edna, the handwritting matches that of another card where her signature is clear.

Read about this series of posts, regarding items in a box originally owned by Belle (Lamunion) Fellows Tinker here. The cast of characters is located here. And, there is an accounting of people about whom I have little information here.

Item 66 is a nice postcard with roses on the front.

“BEST WISHES”

This card wasn’t mailed, perhaps it was delivered with a gift, some cookies or a cake.

To Mrs Tinker
with Love from
Elizabeth.

I’m not looking through the census for a neighbor named Elizabeth, there were probably several. It is a pretty card from the period, and in good condition.