Kate C. Finds Ethel Speicher

In a recent postcard story, we met Blanche Callis and the friends who mailed cards to her.

One of the friends was Ethel Speicher. Here is the way she was introduced:

"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."

_________

In response to a reader's Comment, I wrote:

"I forgot to ask the Amazing Kate to look for Ethel Speicher in Deer Park, Maryland."

Later, I did ask the Amazing Kate, genealogist and regional historian, if she could find this person.

__________________

Here is Kate's response:

1900 Census Deer Park, Garrett, Maryland

William H. Speicher, 40 b. Dec. 1857 WV, farmer

Masori B. Speicher, 33. b. July 1866 WV

Asa H. Speicher, 17 b. Oct. 1882 MD, farm laborer

Harry F. Speicher, 14 b. Mar 1888 MD, farm laborer

Ethel C. Speicher, 10 b. Oct. 1889 MD

Iva J. Speicher, 2/12 b. Nov. 1899 MD

_________________

In 1908, Ethel was an 18-year old woman, living on her family's farm. She mailed an Easter card to her older friend, Blanche.

Ethel disappears from the census by 1920, presumably she is married.

Comments: 10

Ron B. Aug 30, 2009, 12:21am EDT

Neat story Peter..

Peter Wimsey Aug 30, 2009, 9:36am EDT

Ethel was only pretending to be hard-to-find.

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Lori F. Aug 30, 2009, 12:33am EDT

Very interesting I am amazed at your's and Kate's skills in digging this stuff up.

Peter Wimsey Aug 30, 2009, 9:37am EDT

Glad you enjoy the card, Lori.

My research requires less skill and patience than does Kate's.

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Mariana T. Aug 30, 2009, 9:16am EDT

love this and hope you show it again at Easter! Thanks Peter - always nice to see these lovely cards as I relate so well to them! Love to go digging back into the past and enjoy the flavor of those days both in art and social style! Have a good day. Salud

Peter Wimsey Aug 30, 2009, 9:39am EDT

I hadn't thought about grouping the cards by themes, Mariana, but I have enough cards to do a Christmas, New Year, Easter, Birthday, or Valentine presentation.

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Dave Sandborg Aug 31, 2009, 12:30pm EDT

Kate really is amazing! I have done various forms of research in my life, but I really can't imagine being able to find people from a post card sent many years ago!

Peter Wimsey Sep 1, 2009, 10:31am EDT

I have ventured into the various genealogical sites - there is a mountain of information available.

One must learn, however, how to navigate through endless indices, forums, lists, sub-sections, - which I have never mastered.

Kate has good instincts about what is a "false reading" or an incorrect entry - rabbit holes that could waste vast amounts of time.

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Marian L. Aug 31, 2009, 1:25pm EDT

It appears as though Ethel had a bit of a time writing around the embossed flowers on the card.

Peter Wimsey Sep 1, 2009, 10:32am EDT

The embossing is especially deep -and it runs horizontally across the back of the card -which is unusual.

I am grateful that Ethel took sufficient pains to make her message and signature legible.

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Kate C. Finds Ethel Speicher

Comments: 10

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