Mrs. J.A. Taylor: Circa early 1920’s
My Dear Beryl:
Received your (unclear) card and little note and glad to get both. Hope both of you are well and enjoying yourselves. Will be glad to hear more from you at anytime you’re not busy. We are all well except mama. She was bitten on the left eye Sunday by a poisoned spider and it was swelled up so tight she couldn’t see. Much better now. Have had Dr. Field 4 times. Can open eye a little now. Sorry you forgot the minte. Lots of love,
Ada C. Moll
Post Script: Do you remember ever seeing the view on the other side? Come over and we will take a ride. A.C.M
The date on this card is unclear, the ink lost to the ravages of time. However, I was able to find a Miss Ada C. Moll mentioned in an Indianapolis newspaper in 1925. I suspect this card pre-dates the mention, however since phone lines and wires were becoming more widespread by the 1920’s, I’d wager a guess that it’s within that time frame.
The 1920’s conjures up images of flappers, lipstick, dancing, cars, movies, progress, and fun. This card certainly has some of those aspects. In the 21st century, a postcard that exhibits nothing but a dirt road and telephone wires seems…bland. However, it’s no different than a postcard that features an image of modern wind turbines, or even a plane. That indicates progress. The postscript on the bottom of the card indicates fun and leisure. The Great War has ended, and the depression hasn’t hit yet, so times aren’t quite as rough as they’ve been.
Yet, in the midst of a changing century, we have a world in which doctors make house calls. It’s difficult to imagine the cost of a modern day doctor coming to your house not once, or twice, but FOUR times. However, apparently that’s what the case was. I suspect mama may have been in danger (or fearful) of losing her sight, hence why the doctor had been out so much. I know that if home visits for a doctor were within my price range, I’d probably do the same if my eye was swollen shut.
I’m sure that Ada was a sister of Beryl, or perhaps even writing to her sister and her niece. That being said, Beryl may have been an older sister in the employ or care of Mrs. J.A. Taylor — I’ve been able to find very little. As I’ve said often times before, women are often obscured in history since they married and took on their husbands name. For me, an amateur genealogist with limited time on my hands, it’s difficult to track down the real people. But I invite your suggestions, or even thoughts on Miss Ada C. Moll and her dear friend Beryl.
Front of Postcard, Evansville, Ind.
Hipstory 