Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 47

The next card in Edith Duffield Sisson's collection is from her older sister Marie Louise, or Mae. 

7016. Castle Gate, Utah.

In the late 1890s, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad completed a new line in the area of Castle Gate. This narrow canyon with steep sandstone walls is near the mouth of Price Canyon and the Price River flows through the middle. Soon after the train tracks were laid down coal mines were in operation. By 1914 the town of Castle Gate had sprung up around the mill to support the workers and their families. It's a ghost town today.

Castle Gate is known for two historic events. First, in 1897, there was a notable robbery. Butch Cassidy and Elzy Lay, in broad daylight, robbed a Pleasant Valley Coal Company employee at the train station and made off with approximately $7000 in gold. Mae may have thought of that robbery as she passed, and perhaps stopped, at the busy train station. The second event was a tragic one. In 1924 the coal mine Castle Gate #2 exploded and killed 172 men. It was the third deadliest mining accident in the United States at that time.

Postmarked December 26, 1910, in Salt Lake City, Utah

Addressed to:

Mrs C. Sisson

Ottawa

Ill

Marcy St.

Dear Edith have

just passed this

gate. am all well

hope you are all

the same.

Mae

added at the top:

I have

not heard

from Herb.

Mae was married to Herbert Bragg. It's interesting that she was traveling during the holidays without her husband. Perhaps they were to meet at some point in the trip, but it's also possible that she was traveling alone or with others while he remained at home, working. It's also odd that this card was mailed the day after Christmas and Mae made no mention of the holiday. The purpose of the trip is unknown.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 46

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.

12555 Central School, Hammond, Ind.

Postmarked October 22, 1910, in Hammond, Indiana

Addressed to:

Mrs. Chas. Sisson

408 Marcy St

Ottawa

Illinois

Hello Aunty Sisson,

Well I have been very

busy and had not much

time to do anything but

go to school. How is ever

thing down their. I hear

the Ohme's have lost 

some school. Well I

guess I will close I have

to go and see Dad 

off.    Milan S.

Written by one of the sons of Edith's former neighbor and close friend, Carrie Stiles. The Stiles family had recently moved to Hammond, Indiana because of their son Teddy's health. This is one of many cards sent to Edith after the family moved. The Ohme family was another neighbor on Marcy Street whose children had been close in age to the Stiles children. 

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 45

This postcard is #45/100 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.

This card is to Edith Duffield Sisson from her sister, Eva Duffield Green.

Entrance to Ravinia Park  Chicago, Ill.

This card was sent from Eva's home in Dayton, Illinois, so I suspect that she had picked up a bunch of postcards on her last trip to Chicago and just chose one to jot a note to her big sister. I like to think that cards were chosen because the purchaser actually visited the place pictured, but in this case there's no way to tell from the message or the postmark. I'm curious about the park, though, so looked it up.

Built on 36 acres bought by the A.C. Frost Co., the park began life in 1904 as an amusement park, complete with a skating rink, a carousel, a toboggan slide, an electric arm swing and a pavilion where audiences could enjoy performances of classical music. "It began as an amusement park but with a musical complement. The music was always there," Goldstein noted. from the Chicago Tribune, May 23, 1993

                                                   
Now the park is host to open air concerts all summer long and draws huge crowds. The electric rail will only stop at Ravinia Park when there is a concert scheduled. Now that I know a little more, I really hope Eva had a chance to visit and play in the park with her husband, because life at home in Dayton was full of work. The Green's had a dairy farm and Eva was responsible for feeding meals to the workers, keeping the house and raising the chickens. I would guess that they sold eggs, too, but I'm not certain. They hadn't been married long, so Eva was still setting up housekeeping when she sent this card to "Ede", her pet name for Edith.

Postmarked October 17, 1910 in Dayton, Illinois

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson.

Ottawa,

Illinois.

408 Marcy St.

Dear Ede - 

I can't call you up, so I

thought I would send this

card. We were at the folks

to dinner yesterday and when

I got home I found 11 little

chickens just hatched and

the old hen brought them for

something to eat. They are

awful nice but it is so late.

Wish Vick would bring you 

up and stay longer. I am done

cleaning house all but putting

the carpet down in the front -

continued sideways across the top:

room I have

it bought

but not home

yet. I have my

curtains all

hung and you

can bet I

feel better.

I won't

have to 

work quite

so much

now. 

Eva.

I've never raised chickens, but I know midwest winters can be bitter cold and they have to be kept warm for the first few months of life. Here she was in mid-October with a bunch of new babies and worried about their chances of survival. I think she really missed her sisters, too. She mentions "Vick" in the note - Victoria was another sister and the girls were all very close.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 44

Masonic Temple, Hammond, Ind.

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.

The Stiles family were neighbors and very close friends of the Sissons in Ottawa, but moved late in the summer of 1910 to Hammond, Indiana. George and Carrie Stiles had two sons; Milan Arthur "Art" Stiles was born in 1894 followed by Teddy Aussem William Stiles in 1897. The family had moved to Hammond because of son Ted's health and remained there for several years. This is a note from Ted to his "Auntie" Stiles in October, 1910.

A card featuring the Masonic Temple may have been chosen because of Mr. Sisson's association with the lodge in Ottawa. Teddy would have knowledge of Charles Sisson's affiliation and, perhaps, his own father was also a Mason. This temple was the first in Hammond, Indiana, and had been recently completed. 

Postmarked October 13, 1910 in Hammond, Indiana

Addressed to:

Mrs. Chas Sission

408 Marcy St.

Ottawa,.

Ill.

Dear Auntie

Am sitting

up now. Hope to

get to school. Nurse

went to night.

Hope you people

are well.

Ted.

P.S.

Write and tell

me when they get

another case of beer

Ted recovered eventually and went on to live a normal life and have a family of his own. Whatever the illness, it was serious enough to force the family to move and employ a private nurse. The reference to another case of beer is a mystery. I think it hinted at an inside joke and showed that even in his sickness, Ted Stiles maintained a sense of humor.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 43

Postcard number 43 in this collection features the Nickel Plate Depot in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana. Here is an excerpt published in 1897 from The Intelligence, Vol. 17 , page 397:

"A trip over the Nickel Plate between Chicago and New York or Boston

 is decidedly entertaining and pleasant. Leaving Chicago, the trains

 pass through an interesting part of the city, especially the commercial

 centre, thence through Hammond, Ind., across the fine prairies

 of Indiana, to the enterprising city of Fort Wayne..."

It goes on to tell of the marvelous sights and experiences as the train travels the rest of the way to either Boston or New York. A quick search on google brought up loads of sites featuring this exact same postcard, now in the hands of collectors across the country. That tells me that there were a lot of postcards purchased as travelers passed through this area. Most of the postcards in my collection are rare enough that I only find one or two, if any, when I do a similar search.

Nickel Plate Depot, Hammond, Ind.

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.

The Stiles family were neighbors and very close friends of the Sissons in Ottawa, but moved late in the summer of 1910 to Hammond, Indiana. George Stiles married Carrie M. Aussem in 1891. Son Milan Arthur "Art" Stiles was born in 1894 followed by Teddy Aussem William Stiles in 1897. The family moved to Hammond because of son Teddy's health and remained there for several years. This is a note from Art to his "Auntie" Stiles in October, 1910.

Postmarked October 7, 1910 in Hammond, Indiana

Addressed to:

Mrs Chas Sisson

Marcy St

Ottawa Ill.

Hammond, Ind.

10/6  1910

Auntie Sisson.

Ted is about the same

He has had no convulsions 

since 1 AM to-day

The Dr say ever hour

that they are kept away

the better his chances

Let those know of

the old neighbors

that may be interested

Will let you know when there is a change

Art.

I know that Teddy survived his affliction and went on to live a normal life and have a family of his own. I'm still curious as to the nature of his illness and why the family was forced to move to Hammond. Perhaps there will be more information in postcards to come since this is only about halfway through the collection.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 42

Postcard number 42 revisits the Stiles family in their new home in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana. George Stiles was born in 1866 in Massachusetts and moved with his family as a child to LaSalle County, Illinois. There he married Carrie M. Aussem in 1891 and they began their family. Son Milan Arthur Stiles was born in 1894 followed by Teddy Aussem William Stiles in 1897. While living in Ottawa, the Stiles were neighbors of Charles and Edith Sisson. Carrie and Edith were very close friends and their children called the other woman Aunt. In 1910 the family moved to Hammond and remained there for several years, welcoming son George Jr. in 1913, before finally settling in Chicago by about 1917.

View in Harrison Park, Hammond, Ind.

Postmarked September 30, 1910 in Hammond, Indiana

Addressed to:

Mrs. Chas. Sisson.

408 Marcy St.

Ottawa.

Ill.

Dear Friend,

We are about

settled. I have a 

bad cold & Teddy

is getting along

nicely. I dont seem

like home but

I guess I will have 

to get used of it.

Give to the girls my.

Lovingly Mrs. Stiles.

upside down across the top she added her address:

47 Doty St.

Hammond, Ind.

Without being completely whiney, it's still clear that Carrie isn't loving Indiana so far. She must miss the house she was used to and all her friends back in Ottawa. The family moved because son Teddy was very ill. I'm not sure if there was better medical care there, or the climate was different, perhaps. That part is still a mystery. But I'm happy to see that he was doing well.

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. 41

Postcard number 41 in this series gives a glimpse of life as a farmer's wife in rural Illinois. Lyle Green, husband of Eva (Duffield) Green, attended a sale in Galesburg, Illinois in the fall of 1910 and brought this postcard home to his wife. Galesburg is about 110 miles from Lyle's farm in Dayton, no small trip in those days. In this postcard to her sister, Lyle's wife Eva said he was there two days. It doesn't mention the type of sale. This note was more about Eva's work on the farm.

Galesburg, Ills., Central Park and Main St.

Postmarked September 30, 1910 in Dayton, Illinois

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson,

Ottawa,

Illinois.

408 Marcy St.

Dear Ede -

I was just wondering how you

were feeling when the boy

brought your card. I am glad you

are better. I guess its my turn

now. Have been half sick since

Sunday and last night Maud

had to come over and get

supper and this morning she

got breakfast and dressed 

me a chicken for dinner. We

were downtown yesterday afternoon

and the sun gave me a headache.

Lyle was at this place to a sale

for two days. How is Teddy?

Are they gone?

Sister - Eva

Eva then added a note across the top:

I did as

you told

me and

packed eggs.

I have just

55 put away

and a few

more ready

when I get

a box. The 

night I came 

home a chicken

fell in the well

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.

Eva has already been the focus of several blog posts as she authored many postcards in this collection. She was Edith's youngest sister and lived a little bit north of Ottawa, in Dayton, with her husband Lyle Green at this time. Lyle was a dairy farmer and it was Eva's job to feed the workers and take care of the chickens. 

Her savior while she was feeling ill was her mother-in-law, Maud. Teddy was young Ted Stiles, writer of the last postcard, and former neighbor of Edith. His family had indeed gone. They were such close friends of Edith and her daughters that the move was a sad experience and no wonder a topic of conversation. 

My favorite part of this particular note is all the chicken news. I especially liked postscript part of the note. Eva and Lyle had only been married two years and she was still fairly new to farming. She may have been packing the eggs to preserve for home use, or packing them for resale, but my guess is home use. Big sister Edith had provided a handy tip, probably on her last visit. The final line of this note was simply that a chicken fell in the well. Preparing the meals, preserving the bounty and everyday farm mishaps all were part of Eva's life as a farmer's wife.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 40

Postcard number 40 features the Hammond Public Library. Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was the new home of the George and Carrie Stiles family. George Stiles was born in 1866 in Massachusetts and moved with his family as a child to LaSalle County, Illinois. There he married Carrie M. Aussem in 1891 and they began their family. Son Milan Arthur Stiles was born in 1894 followed by Teddy Aussem William Stiles in 1897. In 1910 the family moved to Hammond and remained there for several years, welcoming son George Jr. in 1913, before finally settling in Chicago by about 1917.

Public Library, Hammond, Ind.

Postmarked September 29, 1910 Hammond, Indiana

Addressed to:

Mrs Chas. Sission

408 Marcy St

Ottawa

Ill.,

Aunty,

I am feeling

well. How are

you getting 

a long. Like

the place well

Ted.

47 Doty St

Hammond, Ind

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.

In an earlier post titled Edith's Marcy Street Neighbors, I wrote about the Stiles family and their move to Hammond, Indiana. Ted was close in age to the daughters of Charles and Edith (Duffield) Sisson and considered Edith an Aunt, though there was not a familial relationship. I'm not sure of the nature of Teddy's illness, but it seems to be the primary reason for the move to Hammond. There were many postcards from Stiles family members and several of their photographs in Edith's collection. 

Teddy survived his illness and went on to marry and have a family of his own. In 1922 he and Grace Bailey were wed in Cook County, Illinois. A daughter, Alice, arrived in 1925, followed by a son, Bruce, in 1927.

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. 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. 

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 35

This is the 35th in a series of postcards from 1908-1914. This one was mailed from Moorhead, Minnesota 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.

This is the second postcard in the collection sent to Edith by her sister Mae.

Front Street Looking West, Moorhead, Minn.
(Copyrighted 1910 by W.O. Olson. 905)

Postmarked August 25, 1910 in Moorhead, Minn.

Addressed to:

Mrs Edith Sisson

Ottawa

Ill

Marcy St

Message:

Dear Edith.

We are in this town

for a min and it

is quite cold. The men

have their over coats 

on. Hope you are all

well. Sister Mae.

Marie Louise "Mae" Duffield (1862-1943) was the first born daughter of Robert Duffield (1833-1925) and Henriette Louise DeSusClades (1841-1887). She was named after her maternal grandmother, Marie Louise Callon (1815-?). Two and a half years after Mae's arrival, Edith was welcomed into the family. The sisters were young women when their mother passed in 1887 and had two younger sisters whose care fell to them. In 1898, their father was married to a woman the same age as Mae. I have to wonder how this new relationship was viewed by the girls. In 1900, Robert Duffield and his new wife Mary are living alone and his youngest daughter is in her sister Mae's household. This may be a clue that the sisters were not accepting of their father's new bride.

Mae and Herbert don't appear to have ever had children. In April of 1910, they are still in Ottawa to be counted by the census taker, but by 1920 they are living in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. I haven't found when they moved to CA and I don't have a clue why they were in Minnesota. Just one day earlier Mae had mailed a card to Edith from Illinois, so she was traveling somewhere and this was likely another stop along the way. Moorhead is on the western border of the state and a sister city to Fargo, North Dakota. It gets very cold there in the winter months, but this card was mailed in August. A quick check of historic averages shows a record low of 32 degrees in the month of August back in 1886. Even 40-50 degrees would be chilly in late summer. Perhaps the cool temps were what led them to the beach!

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 34

Next in the series of postcards from 1908-1914 is No. 34, sent from Aurora, Illinois. 

These postcards were discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. They were saved by his maternal grandparents, Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927), and passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin. Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895 and remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. 

Public Library, Aurora, Ill.

The Aurora Library was built in 1904, funded by Andrew Carnegie. The library still stands in the same spot today, but if anything remains of the original building, it appears to have been substantially renovated. Aurora is about an hour from Ottawa, roughly northeast, and lies on the Fox River. The message on the back of the postcard makes it clear that this was just a stop on a trip.

Potmarked 24 August 1910 in Aurora, Ill.

Addressed to:

Mrs Chas Sisson

Ottawa

Ill

Marcy St

Message:

Dear Edith,

We have to wait 

an hour in this

town Hope you

are all well

Mae

Marie Louise "Mae" Duffield, born in 1862, was the first daughter born to William Duffield and Henriette Louise (DeSusClades) Duffield. She followed brother Albert who was two years older. Then came three more girls - Edith in 1864, Vic in 1866, and Eva in 1880. When their mother died in 1887, Mae became the woman of the house. I'm also an "eldest daughter" and can assume that Mae, like me, may have bossed her younger siblings a bit. I saw my own first daughter do the same with her younger siblings. I think it must be an unspoken rule or something! In this family, it doesn't seem to have caused any ill-feelings between the girls.

This is the first postcard from Mae to her younger sister Edith. The tone isn't bossy at all, just matter-of-fact, another possible clue to Mae's personality. Several postcards from Mae are in this collection; additional clues to the sister's relationship may be gleaned from them.

Mae married Herbert Bragg in 1892. In the 1900 census, her youngest sister Eva is living in the household. Absent, though, are children. The couple doesn't appear to have ever had a child. Sometime between 1910 and 1920, Mae and Herbert moved to Long Beach, California. Edith and Charles followed soon after with their family. 

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 33

Next in the series of postcards from 1908-1914 is No. 33, sent from Morris, Illinois. 

These postcards were discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. They were saved by his maternal grandparents, Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927), and passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin. Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895 and remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. 

First Baptist Church, Morris, Ill.

Morris, Ill. postmark, dated July 29, 1910

Addressed to:

Mrs Chas. Sisson

S. Ottawa

Ills

408 Marcy St

Message:

I am O.K. and hope

you are all the same

suppose you think

I had forgotten you

but have not so an-

swer soon

Stella Brown

Morris Ills

Route 5 Box 91

care W. A. Brown

This is the second card featuring "Stella". The first, from Edith's sister Eva, simply gave an address for Stella in Dwight, Illinois. Now, a card from Stella Brown tells us she is living in Morris, Illinois. With her full name and those places I searched for more information to try and figure out how Stella was connected to the Duffield girls. It's complicated.

I found a Miss Stella M Brown living north of the river in Ottawa in the 1904 and 1906 city directories. She lived with her parents and some brothers and was employed as a dress maker. I next found her on the 1880 census with those same family members, and others, living in North Ottawa. That census listing included a sister a few years older than Stella named Birdie Brown. In 1894, Birdie married Edith's cousin Robert Beguin (son of Elizabeth Duffield and August Beguin).

The card above shows Stella receiving mail in care of W. A. Brown in Morris, Illinois. In 1883, Josephine Beguin (another child of Elizabeth Duffield and August Beguin) married William A. Brown. They are living in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois in 1910. William Brown is listed on the census as born in West Virginia. All of Stella's siblings were born in Illinois, so I don't know if this is a Brown relative to Stella. She had a brother named William, but records show he was born in Illinois and married a woman named Clara. They may be related some other way, but aren't siblings.

I was trying to figure out how Edith and Stella were acquainted, and was thoroughly confused, so I constructed a timeline to sort it all out:

• Stella and her family were in Ottawa and she was born about 1878, according to the 1880 census.
• Stella's sister Birdie Brown married Edith's cousin Robert Beguin in 1894. 
• 1900 census just lists Stella's parents and her brother Charlie. Have not located the rest of the Brown family in 1900.
• Stella is listed in the 1904 and 1906 city directories. Some of her brothers are, too. Her occupation is listed as dressmaker. 
• She disappears from the directory in 1907, though her parents and brother Charlie remain. 
• In an earlier postcard, Stella's address is given as a hotel in Dwight, Ill. Dwight is in Grundy County.
• In 1910, Stella is associated with her brother-in-law's sister Josephine, another of Edith's cousins, and her husband William Brown (unknown if related to Stella). 

Honestly, it looks like they were acquainted simply because they lived in the same small town and Stella's sister was married to Edith's cousin. Stella was likely just a friend, unrelated to Edith. And she must have been a good friend since they continued to stay in touch.

Sources:
1880, 1900, 1910 Federal census records.
Ottawa, Illinois city directories.
LaSalle County, Illinois marriage records.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 32

Next in the series of postcards from 1908-1914 is No. 32, sent from Valparaiso, Indiana. 

These postcards were discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. They were saved by his maternal grandparents, Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927), and passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin. Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895 and remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. 

Indiana Ave. East, State Bank, Fire Dept. and Opera House, Valparaiso, Ind.
(E. C. Kropp Co, Pub, Milwaukee, No. 6598)

Postmarked 21 July 1910 in Valparaiso, Ind.

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson

Ottawa

Illinois

408 Marcy St

Message:

Dear Ede - 

I thought you

might like a card

from here.

I am having a 

good time will

tell you about every

thing soon.

Eva

Little sister Eva and husband Lyle continued to travel through Indiana. This card notes a stop in Valparaiso, Indiana. It sounds like the trip might be about to wrap up and Eva will soon have a chance to share all the news with her big sister Edith. I think it's just a coincidence that both this one and the last postcard from La Porte both feature an "Indiana Ave.". The towns are in neighboring counties, but the road doesn't extend the entire distance. Both towns seem to have an independent Indiana Avenue. As in the last postcard, I pulled up Google Maps and took a little tour. Again, I found the buildings featured in the postcard are still standing today. The bank (with the columns, on the end) looks the same, and even though the other buildings have had modifications since 1910, they are still easily identified. The purpose of Eva's trip is still unknown.

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 31

Next in the series of postcards from 1908-1914 is No. 31, sent from La Porte, Indiana. 

These postcards were discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. They were saved by his maternal grandparents, Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927), and passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin. Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895 and remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. 

North on Indiana Avenue, La Porte, Ind.

Postmarked in La Porte, Ind. on July 19, 1910.

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson

Ottawa

Illinois

408 Marcy St.

Message:

Dear Ede - 

Will send some cards to

the girls sometime to-day.

We got here at 5 oclock

yesterday and we only started at 

6-15 yesterday morning. Its 140 

miles. We are going to Michigan 

City to-morrow. This is a 

nice place Its a good size 

and lots of nice houses. 

I am having a good time. 

With Love, Eva.

Edith's sister Eva continues on her road trip (see cards 29 and 30) with a stop in La Porte, Indiana. While it's unknown how many stops they made, the 140 mile trip took them just over 13 hours. That equates to less than 11 miles per hour. I don't know how they were traveling, except that it was by road. The red house on the corner featured in this postcard still stands today at the intersection of US-35 (Indiana Ave.) and Osborne Street in La Porte. Since Eva mentioned "lots of nice houses" in her message, I think that's why she chose this card. I looked up and down the street via Google Maps and agree with Eva. There are a lot of large old homes along the street that were surely there over 100 years ago. 

Duffield/Sisson Postcards No. 30

Continuing in the series of postcards from 1908-1914 is No. 30, sent from Crown Point, Indiana. These postcards were discovered last year in the Sierra Madre, California home of Warren Brown after his death. They were saved by his maternal grandparents, Edith Amy Duffield (1864-1926) and Charles Herman Sisson (1868-1927), and passed down to Warren, my husband’s cousin. Charles and Edith were married in Ottawa, Illinois in 1895 and remained there until the early 1920s when they moved west to Los Angeles, California. 

East Side Main Street, Crown Point, Ind. (Photo by Vilmer.)

Postmarked 18 July 1910, Crown Point, Ind.

Addressed to:

Mrs Charles Sisson

Ottawa

Illinois

408 Marcy St

Message:

Dear Ede -

We are this far on our 

way 93 miles at I-30

We came through Joliet

and Chicago Heights

will go from here

to La Porte.

I never rode on any

roads so nice

will write. With Love - Eva

Eva was Edith's little sister, born when Edith was 16 years old. Their mother died when Eva was 7 years old, so her older sisters played Sister/Mom roles in her life. The "we" mentioned in the note probably refers to Eva and her husband, Lyle Green. The Greens made their home just north of Ottawa in Dayton, Illinois. I'm not sure why they were traveling when this card was mailed. In card 28, Eva was so busy with farm work and cooking that she couldn't manage a short trip to Ottawa. Maybe there will be some clues in later correspondence.

That nice road, I-30, later became part of the Lincoln Highway and is now known as U.S. Route 30. The road went through the center of Joliet and Chicago Heights, but Eva and Lyle would have probably have taken a turn at what is today US-55 to go through Crown Point. Also known as Main Street through town, it may have been the same route taken by Eva and Lyle in 1910. Some of the buildings shown on this postcard are still standing, but a few are gone entirely and some have been remodeled or rebuilt. Some of the architectural details are still clearly recognizable. Few awnings remain. The block shown is approximately the 100 block of S. Main Street.

This postcard was labeled on the back, "Published by W.A. Scheddell, Crown Point, Leipzig. Printed in Germany." The Scheddells were a prominent family in Crown Point, operating businesses and serving in volunteer positions in the community. Mr. Scheddell published a variety of local postcards.