Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Happy Birthday, Auntie Freeman

A hundred and one years ago, Mrs. Freeman was celebrating her birthday and received this card with its lovely bunch of violets from her relative, William S. Bliss.


He calls her Auntie, but I don't think he's her nephew. They are related though.



Here it is in a nutshell.
Edmund Freeman was born in England in 1590, but came over by ship (The Abigail) in 1653 and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts. Five generations later, Lewis and Catherine Freeman had seven children, including twins Ada and Ida, born in 1854. Ada Freeman married Seth Henry Bliss. That's where the relationship between Freeman and Bliss comes in, but William S. (born in 1862) is not one of their children, so he must be a nephew of Henry Bliss. In that case it's especially sweet of him to send a card, don't you agree?

Mrs. Freeman appears to be Florence Peek Freeman, born in about 1850 and married to George Lewis Freeman, a Baptist and a Free Mason who lived in Schuyler Lake, Exeter, Otsego County, New York.

 Here's a photo of the Exeter School in 1915, courtesy of the Exeter Historical Society.
Teacher, Gussie Brainard, Hobart Curtiss, Gladys Truman, May Wilson
next row: Leslie Curtis, Bernice Chappell, Truman Allison, Ferris Bliss, Julia Bliss, Joe Allen, Pearl Bliss
I have trouble matching these names up, unless Pearl is a boy, but whatever the case there are three children with the surname of Bliss in this picture.


Here's what Schuyler Lake looks like today. It's still very rural. Wait a minute...is that the Mason's Lodge?

View Larger Map

And if it happens to be your birthday today, I hope it's full of bliss and happiness.
at

6 comments:

  1. LindaFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:12 AM

    I remember the first time I saw these cards touched with gold foil--so modern looking. They hold up well. And once again, nimble research into the people behind the postcard!

    ReplyDelete
  2. WibboFebruary 7, 2012 at 9:35 AM

    That's a beautiful card - it's in such good condition too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Postcard RanchFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:44 PM

    Stunning research!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alan BurnettFebruary 8, 2012 at 4:45 AM

    Absolutely fascinating. You create a social and personal history lesson out of something as prosaic as an old postcard (beautiful though it is). Blogging at its best, Christine.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2012 at 7:18 AM

    Thanks for the family shout-out and birthday wishes! Interesting to read about another (albeit unknown to me) branch of the family tree. My father's family lived in and around Lansdale and Schuylkill Haven, PA but he did end up in NY State eventually (Endicott) before migrating west and meeting my mother. The flowers on the card are lovely - it's really quite a pretty card! Though the botanist in me can't help but think they're forget-me-nots, which might make sense for a birthday card? Thanks for a lovely post! Karin

    ReplyDelete
  6. Christine H.February 8, 2012 at 10:30 AM

    Oh, I suppose those are forget-me-nots aren't they!

    ReplyDelete