Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 39

This next card in the collection was sent to Edith Sisson from her sister Mae after she had passed through the town of Page, North Dakota. Today Page is a very small town with under 500 residents. It's about 35 miles northwest of Fargo in Cass County. In 1910, the census shows almost 1400 people living in Page, many of them immigrants. The population peaked as the railroad was expanded through the area. People came from all over to settle on land that was now easily accessible. They came for a fresh start and a chance to make a name for themselves in a new community.

125. -- Public School, Page, N. D.

The school building shown on the postcard doesn't appear to still be in existence. I did a little bit of searching to see if I could find any other old photos or find out when it was demolished, and couldn't find a thing.

Postmarked September 4, 1910 in Fargo, North Dakota

Addressed to:

Mrs. Chas Sisson.

Ottawa

Marcy. St. Ill.

Sep 4 1910.

Dear Edith.

We left Page last

night & are in Fargo

to-day. Just came from

church. We heard a

good Sermon. Fargo 

is a swell town.

Roosevelt will be in

this town Mon " so

we will stay and

see him.

Your sister

Mae.

Marie Louise (Duffield) Bragg (1862-1943), called Mae by her family, was the oldest daughter of William Duffield (1833-1925) and Henriette Louisa Desusclades (1841-1887). Edith followed just two years later, so these sisters were close in age. Mae seems very matter-of-fact in her notes to Edith and perhaps that's a clue to her character. In 1910, Mae and her husband of 18 years, Herbert Bragg, were living in South Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois where they farmed a piece of rented land. It's not clear why Mae was in North Dakota, though there are postcards to follow from other locations that make it seem as though she was on a vacation trip. She is probably traveling with her husband Herbert and it's likely that they are taking the trip by train.

From theodorerooseveltcenter.org, I learned that Theodore Roosevelt was indeed in Fargo at this time. He was there to lay the cornerstone of the new Carnegie Library on the Fargo College campus on September 5, 1910. It was pouring rain that day, but thousands of people came to hear him speak. Despite the inclement weather, this was probably a highlight of the trip for the couple. I find another hint at Mae's character when I consider that she purchased a postcard featuring a public schoolhouse and that she was attending an event at the college. Education meant a great deal to her.

This card is from a collection of postcards dated between 1908 and 1914 that was found in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death in 2015. Warren’s mother, Edythe Grace (Sisson) Brown (1897-1978), was the daughter of Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927). Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895. They remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. Their collection of memorabilia was passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin, and is now in my possession.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 38

This next card in the Duffield/Sisson postcards from 1908-1914 was sent to Mrs. Charles Sisson from her Aunt Jane Cross who lived in Downer's Grove, Illinois in 1910.

The collection was discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. Warren’s mother, Edythe Grace Sisson (1897-1978), was the daughter of Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927). Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895. They remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. Their collection of memorabilia was passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin.

Going In On The 702, Downers Grove, Ill.

"Going in on the 702". I wonder if the people gathered are waiting to board, have just departed, or are waiting for others to depart. It could be a combination of all scenarios. Most of the people look like businessmen and my guess is that the 702 was a commuter route into Chicago. I love all the hats! I magnified the picture and can only clearly see one young boy without a hat in the whole crowd.

Just a year after this card was sent, Downers Grove opened a new train station for pedestrian traffic and the old station was used for freight traffic only. This was primarily because of the number of livestock that was being transported and a desire to make traveling by train more pedestrian friendly. Looking at the photo, one can imagine how messy it could be if cattle and people were being loaded and unloaded in the same general area. The animals certainly kicked up some dust and likely left waste behind as well. The folks traveling were mostly well dressed and the situation would have been very unpleasant, especially if they were commuters on their way to work in the city.

31 August 1910, Downers Grove, Illinois

Addressed to:

Mrs. Edith Sissne

Ottawa

Ills

408. Marcy St.

Downers Grove

August 31 1910

Dear Edith

I have got home safe

but I have ben sick

I am come to Ottawa then 

I will see you

Anty

Written upside down at the top:

Will I bring my freind

Edith's "Anty" was Jane Wright (Duffield) Cross (1850-1932), youngest child of Robert Duffield (1810-1885) and Mary (Wright) Duffield (1812-1875). Their oldest child, William Duffield (1833-1925) was Edith's father. 

Jane was raised in LaSalle County but moved to Downers Grove shortly after her marriage to Alfred J. Cross in 1874. It was there that they raised their children, Emma (born in 1876) and Alfred (born in 1885). Edith was about 10 years old when her Aunt moved away and it seems that they maintained a close relationship. 

Baby Alfred Cross, Emma Cross is framed in the stylish hat, and their mother Jane (Duffield) Cross is standing in the photo lower right.

Last year I mailed the photos above to a descendant of Alfred Cross. She had never seen them and was thrilled to have them for her family. 

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 37

Postcard 37, in the series of postcards from 1908-1914, was sent to Mrs. Charles Sisson from Elgin, Illinois in 1910.

This collection was discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. Warren’s mother, Edythe Grace Sisson (1897-1978), was the daughter of Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927). Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895. They remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. Their collection of memorabilia was passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin.

Main Building, Insane, Asylum, Elgin, Ill.

A Wikipedia listing states that the Main Building, pictured here, was finished in 1872. This state run hospital housed mental health patients as well as tuberculosis and veteran patients at times. The property expanded over the years and at one time was spread out over more than 1,000 acres. The building was demolished in 1993. This building must have been an impressive sight to have prompted the purchase of a postcard to send home.

Postmarked 26 August 1910 in Elgin, Illinois

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson

Ottawa

Ill

408 Marcy St

The message side of the card simply reads, Eva. It's in pencil, as is the address, but in a finer line. It's not known if Eva herself signed her name or if it was written in later by someone else. The last card in the collection (#36) was postmarked from Elgin on the same date and sent by Vic Sesslar. The handwriting on this postcard doesn't match Vic's seen on previous cards, so we know that someone else addressed it, at least. Vic and Eva were Edith's sisters. If this card was sent by Eva, then we can surmise that she was travelling with her older sister, Victoria.