This vintage postcard of Mount Tom near Holyoke, Massachusetts dates back to the late 1890s, since the Mount Tom Summit House hotel pictured in the distance atop the peak burned in 1900. But the feature that is most interesting about the postcard is the two names written on the front: Minnie L. Whitman and Stanley A. Reinhardt. Who are they, and why are their names on this postcard?
Stanley Alton Reinhardt was born in Broad Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada on January 4, 1882, the son of Elisha Reinhardt and Sophia Elizabeth Lohnes. He emigrated to Massachusetts before 1900, first living in Newton as a boarder on Cornell Street and working as a farm laborer. He returned to Canada the following year and lived with relatives near Broad Cove. By 1907 Stanley was in Worcester, boarding at 154 Austin Street and working as a wallpaper hanger.
Minnie Lenora Whitman was born September 30, 1887, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alvernon Deroy Whitman and Annie F. Reed. Her father was employed as a carpenter.
Stanley and Minnie were married on March 16, 1909, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Rev. George F. Haines officiated the ceremony. At the time, Stanley was working as a painter, while Minnie was employed as a clerk. The Reinhardts lived in Worcester on Austin Street--in 1918 the family is listed as living at 184 Austin, while by 1940 they had moved down the street to 167 Austin. Both Stanley and Minnie were active members of the community. Minnie served as secretary of the Middle district of the Woman's Home and Foreign Mission Society of Massachusetts in 1916-1917 and in 1920. Stanley continued his work as a painter and later started his own studio as an interior decorator. He was also an ordained minister and served at Advent Christian Church in Palmer for ten years and Wayside Advent Christian Church in South Charlton for twenty-eight years. Stanley and Minnie visited his family in Nova Scotia occasionally. The local Worcester newspaper, the Bridgewater Bulletin, reported they had "a most delightful sojourn" in Broad Cove in September 1911. Their only child, Evangeline Whitman Reinhardt, was born in January 4, 1918 in Worcester. She married Ralph Michael Borowski in Massachusetts, and they had no children. Stanley died at his home in Worcester on January 26, 1952. He was buried in Forest Hill Cemtery in Broad Cove. Minnie died in 1983. Evangeline, who died August 19, 1981, in at Dawson Memorial Hospital in Broad Cove, is also buried in Forest Hill alongside her husband who died in 1995.
That's the story of Stanley and Minnie, at least what I can find online. So why this postcard? Mount Tom is approximately fifty miles from Worcester. Perhaps they made a trip there before getting married. Or maybe they each signed the postcard for fun.* It's hard to judge. But regardless of its origins, this postcard provides an example of the interesting information that may be found simply by tracing the names on a postcard.
See this postcard and more at in my Etsy shop, Postcardigans!
Stanley Alton Reinhardt was born in Broad Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada on January 4, 1882, the son of Elisha Reinhardt and Sophia Elizabeth Lohnes. He emigrated to Massachusetts before 1900, first living in Newton as a boarder on Cornell Street and working as a farm laborer. He returned to Canada the following year and lived with relatives near Broad Cove. By 1907 Stanley was in Worcester, boarding at 154 Austin Street and working as a wallpaper hanger.
Minnie Lenora Whitman was born September 30, 1887, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alvernon Deroy Whitman and Annie F. Reed. Her father was employed as a carpenter.
Stanley and Minnie were married on March 16, 1909, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Rev. George F. Haines officiated the ceremony. At the time, Stanley was working as a painter, while Minnie was employed as a clerk. The Reinhardts lived in Worcester on Austin Street--in 1918 the family is listed as living at 184 Austin, while by 1940 they had moved down the street to 167 Austin. Both Stanley and Minnie were active members of the community. Minnie served as secretary of the Middle district of the Woman's Home and Foreign Mission Society of Massachusetts in 1916-1917 and in 1920. Stanley continued his work as a painter and later started his own studio as an interior decorator. He was also an ordained minister and served at Advent Christian Church in Palmer for ten years and Wayside Advent Christian Church in South Charlton for twenty-eight years. Stanley and Minnie visited his family in Nova Scotia occasionally. The local Worcester newspaper, the Bridgewater Bulletin, reported they had "a most delightful sojourn" in Broad Cove in September 1911. Their only child, Evangeline Whitman Reinhardt, was born in January 4, 1918 in Worcester. She married Ralph Michael Borowski in Massachusetts, and they had no children. Stanley died at his home in Worcester on January 26, 1952. He was buried in Forest Hill Cemtery in Broad Cove. Minnie died in 1983. Evangeline, who died August 19, 1981, in at Dawson Memorial Hospital in Broad Cove, is also buried in Forest Hill alongside her husband who died in 1995.
That's the story of Stanley and Minnie, at least what I can find online. So why this postcard? Mount Tom is approximately fifty miles from Worcester. Perhaps they made a trip there before getting married. Or maybe they each signed the postcard for fun.* It's hard to judge. But regardless of its origins, this postcard provides an example of the interesting information that may be found simply by tracing the names on a postcard.
See this postcard and more at in my Etsy shop, Postcardigans!
References
1900 U.S. Census
1901 Canada Census
1907 Worcester, Massachusetts, City Directory, pg. 590
1918 New England Business Directory and Gazetteer, pg. 613
1920 U.S. Census
1940 U.S. Census
"Annual Meeting of the Middle Massachusetts District," All Nations Monthly, September 1916 (Vol. XVII, No. 198), 11
"Broad Cove," Bridgewater Bulletin, September 26, 1911
"Cradle Roll," All Nations Monthly, August 1918 (Vol. XIX, No. 221), 8
Evangeline Whitman Reinhardt Borowski, FindAGrave.com.
Forest Hill Cemetery, Rootsweb
Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org
Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org.
"Notice," All Nations Monthly, July 1920 (Vol. XXI, No. 244), 5
Rev. Stanley Alton Reinhardt, FindAGrave.com
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, FamilySearch.org
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, FamilySearch.org
*Stanley's signature on the postcard matches his signature on the World War I draft card.
1900 U.S. Census
1901 Canada Census
1907 Worcester, Massachusetts, City Directory, pg. 590
1918 New England Business Directory and Gazetteer, pg. 613
1920 U.S. Census
1940 U.S. Census
"Annual Meeting of the Middle Massachusetts District," All Nations Monthly, September 1916 (Vol. XVII, No. 198), 11
"Broad Cove," Bridgewater Bulletin, September 26, 1911
"Cradle Roll," All Nations Monthly, August 1918 (Vol. XIX, No. 221), 8
Evangeline Whitman Reinhardt Borowski, FindAGrave.com.
Forest Hill Cemetery, Rootsweb
Massachusetts, Births, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org
Massachusetts, Marriages, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org.
"Notice," All Nations Monthly, July 1920 (Vol. XXI, No. 244), 5
Rev. Stanley Alton Reinhardt, FindAGrave.com
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, FamilySearch.org
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, FamilySearch.org
*Stanley's signature on the postcard matches his signature on the World War I draft card.