Merrie Merrie Christmas

 Merrie Merrie Christmas

This Christmas Post Card was from Nancy Hatfield (1860-1946) to her great-grandson LeRoy Martin.  Nancy would have given it to LeRoy in about 1940 or before.  She was living in Dove Creek, Colorado at the time and LeRoy was living nearby in Cortez, Colorado.  The card is at least 80+ years old.  The spelling of Merrie is interesting - I don't think I have seen that spelling used on a Christmas card before.  

The only picture I can find with both Grandma Hatfield and LeRoy is the following Wilson Family photo.  LeRoy is standing right in the middle between his Great-Grandmother Nancy Hatfield and his Grandmother Pearl Wilson.  They are standing just behind the children sitting on the porch. LeRoy is goofing off by poking out his tummy.  Grandma Nancy Hatfield is standing to the right of LeRoy wearing a little black cap on her head. 

 

Wilson Family Gathering

The Charles B. Wilson family gathering photo.  The date is unknown but was probably taken around 1939-1941.  If anyone has an exact date, please leave the date in comments.
Back row from left to right:
Wilber, John, Inez, Buck, Maymie, Charles B, Pearl Hatfield Wilson, LeRoy goofing off in front, great-grandma Nancy Hatfield standing to the right of LeRoy.  Anna, Jenny, & Mary standing in the back and to the far right - Mr. Graffie and Cora Rose Graffie.

Not sure who all the younger children sitting in front belong to.

Christmas Greetings from 1960

 Christmas Greetings

This vintage 1960 Christmas Card was from my mom to my dad.  The card shows a cute Victorian couple in a one-horse open sleigh.  My parents married on December 16, 1950, so 1960 would have been the anniversary of their 10th Christmas together as husband and wife. And, that makes this Christmas card sixty-three years old this year.  The card is a folding card which gives it a three dimensional effect when folded out. 

The verse inside reads:

To My Husband

I always love you, Darling,

Every day throughout the year,
But our love seems still more wonderful
When Christmas time is here. 

To LeRoy from Verna, 1960

Stagecoach Christmas Cards

One of my favorite "Family History Finds" this past year was an obituary for my 2nd great-granduncle, Joseph J. West.  The obituary mentioned that Joseph West had been "one of the best and most trusted stage drivers in the country".  To find out more about Joseph West and read his obituary, click here. 

Joseph J West Obituary

Stagecoach Christmas Cards

While going through some of my "old" Christmas Cards, I found several cards that had stagecoaches instead of sleighs.  I love that the cards remind me of our 2nd great-granduncle Joseph West.  And, I love the colors and details of each of the cards.  The detail of the stagecoach, passengers, and horses is just amazing.  The bottom card reminds me of a woodblock Arts and Crafts print.  The snow and colors look as if it was applied by hand painting.  These cards are probably from the 1910s - 1920s.  

Related Post:

Stagecoach Driver

My Christmas Wishes

My Christmas Wishes

I have a Christmas wish list to give to Santa -- It's a Family History Wish List.  I've been a good girl so hopefully Santa can deliver.🎅🎄

• DNA🧬 from my 8 great-grandparents - I'd would even be thrilled with DNA from my four grandparents!
• Maiden names for three of my 3rd great-grandmothers: Martha Ann, Jane, Rebecca.
• Restoration of  records of the burnt Limestone County, Texas courthouse.
• Marriage records for James Wilson and wife Martha, William Baldwin and wife Jane, Michael Box and wife Mary Fulcher, and Samuel Medlin and wife Rebecca.
• Restoration of the destroyed 1890 Federal Census

Christmas Posts 🎅🎄 

Wish List for a Christmas Dinner

Baldwin Family Christmas

Married on Christmas Day

Our Family's Own Official Santa Claus

One Horse Open Sleigh

Dashing through the snow,
In a one horse open sleigh. 

I've colorized the photo of my paternal grandfather, Elmer Martin, in his one-horse open sleigh.  This picture would have been taken about 1913 at Elmer's home in Rock Island, Illinois.  Below the photo is a 1913 newspaper article referring to Elmer and his cutter sleigh.  The Sam Love mentioned in the newspaper was Elmer's cousin.

Elmer in his one-horse open sleigh

Wonder who their "best girls" were??

Elmer Martin blog posts: 
Maymie and Elmer 
Elmer Climbed Mount Rainier 
Elmer Martin's Prize Winning Potatoes 
Shaving Mugs 
Martin Family Tree

Wintery Scene

Wintery Scene
Cortez, Colorado
Thursday, December 21, 1967

This old newspaper clipping was in my Grandmother Maymie's papers.  It was published 56 years ago today - December 21.  Not sure if there was a specific reason Maymie clipped the picture from the newspaper, but I can definitely remember that snowy December.❄️❄️❄️

It was 1967 and my family had just moved back to Cortez, Colorado from sunny Arizona.  In Arizona, I was used to driving on nice dry roads.  Not long after arriving in Cortez, this storm hit just before Christmas.  While trying to stop at a red light on main street, my car slid into the middle of the intersection.  The intersection can be seen in the background.  Thankfully I did not run into a pedestrian or a vehicle, and thankfully a car did not hit me.