Blanche Callis was born in 1882 in rural Maryland to William and Caroline Callis. Blanche's father was a blacksmith. Blanche was the oldest of six children; she had three sisters and two brothers.
In 1900, when Blanche was 18, her kid brother Charles, 17, was working as a blacksmith, too.
In the first decade of the twentieth century, Blanche remained unmarried and she moved several times. I have cards that were sent to her in 1908 and 1909 – each one to a different address.
When I referred the postcards to Kate C., an amazing genealogical researcher, I expressed doubts that Blanche could be found.
But, the Amazing Kate found Blanche, and provided the family history written here.
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At Easter time in 1908, Ethel Speicher of Deer Park, Maryland sent an Easter card to Blanche (now 26 years old) in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland.
Both towns are in Garrett County, Maryland –the western most tip of the Old Line State, and close to the West Virginia border.
In 1908, Deer Park and Mountain Lake Park were important mountain resorts on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (the B & O), and the towns were prosperous.
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Received your card and was glad to hear that you arrived all right.
Your friend,
Ethel Speicher
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In January of 1909, Miss Blanche Callis is in St. Mary’s, West Virginia where she receives a card from her friend, Grayce.
Grayce was still in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland, while Blanche had moved about 125 miles west to the banks of the Ohio “River in West Virginia.
St. Mary’s is a gritty river town where freight trains still run through the heart of the downtown area.
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Mt. Lake Park, Md.
Jan 6, 1909
Dear Blanche,
You will pardon me for not answering your card sooner but (I) will do better next time.
How do you like St. Mary’s by this time?
I would like to see you very much and real soon.
And please don’t do like I did.
from Grayce
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By May of 1909, Blanche had moved to Hoyes, Maryland where she received a card from her friend, Gertie, who was still in St. Mary’s West Virginia.
Hoyes is a very small village, about 17 miles north of Mountain Lake Park.
It seems to be Blanche's birthday; the card is stamped, "Many happy returns of the day".
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Received postcard okay, many thanks for the same.
Was glad to hear from you.
I am well, thank you, hope you are the same.
Yours,
Gertie
("answer soon" is noted upside down on the top margin)
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The Amazing Kate reports that Blanche's parents, William and Caroline Callis remain in Garrett County through the 1930 census. They were in their early seventies at this time.
Blanche Callis is not living with them in 1920 and 1930, and Kate C. believes that she has discovered the reason.
"There is a Blanche C. Moore or Moon (I can’t read the handwriting) married to Mark Moore/Moon in Mt. Lake Park on the 1920 census.
They have two daughters, Catherine and Clara.
Mark is a farm laborer “working out.”
All the dates and places fit for Blanche Callis."
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Comments: 30
Unless I forget to do so, I usually turn off the ratings.
I enjoy the occassions when we have several cards to explore, and when Kate can find the "postcard personality".
Is there a Maryland State Park at Deer Lake and Mountain Lake Park?
Dannielle is on the hunt, too.
My favorite is the second.
In this case, Blanche was in St. Mary's less than a year, during which time she seems to have become a friend of Gertie.
What do you say to someone you knew for a short time under specific circumstances, and then moved away?
"Papa is in the hospital, doctor says the end is near", etc.
I have not yet posted two sets of cards circa 1929-1932 in which the sender's voice their desperation about not finding jobs.
The village postmaster or postmistress, knew EVERYTHING in town.
The two girls grew up near one another in Garrett County, Maryland.
Now, I am checked into my hotel in a provincial city (the turn-down housekeeper just came by and gave me chocolate and bottled water).
The University of Iowa has a huge collection of Darling illustrations.
(The link is in the Darling article)
You cannot browse the collection, however, unless you enter through a participating library.
I want to know if "Breakfast Time" is in the Darling collection.
It is nice that Blanche and her friends can live again in memory and imagination.