A Tree Grew in Oakland

Driveway at Orchard Lake, Mich.  5011.

Post marked Birmingham, Mich.  Jul 12, 1912.  Addressed to Mrs. Effie [Lee] Weaver, 94 Tireman Ave., Detroit.

“Dear Effie, Did you get caught in the big wind the other day.  Do you know whether it done any harm out Redford or Southfield way.  How is everybody.  I have not heard in long time.  Sorry the girls could not stay that night but Irene [Jenks] was at the church all that forenoon and in bed in afternoon had high fever.   Aunt Eva [Evelyn Seymour Jenks, wife of Oliver Torrey Jenks, Esther Jenks Lee’s brother.]”

There must have been a big wind storm in July, 1912.   Aunt Eva was the family historian for all the Jenks Family Reunions.  She wrote biographies of Morris Jenks and each of his children.   There is even a write up on the house built in 1852 and the members of the family that lived there over the years.   Each of the reunions is faithfully recorded as to who was there, births, deaths, marriages, and what food was served (in specific, what flavor of ice cream was made).

Will I Do?    Serie 142   Printed in Germany.

This post card appears to have not been mailed – no stamp, no address, no post mark.  I include it for the picture an for the full text on the back:

“Redford, Mich.   Feb 18, 1913     Dear Cousin, Glad to hear from you, but was surprised that you were in Ohio.  How long have you been there?  I wrote you a letter Sunday evening and sent it to Detroit where I suppose you were.   So, will just write a card today.  How is the weather down there? This is a beautiful day, seems like Spring.  But, was mighty cold last week.

“Uncle Rob [Robert Churches, husband of Hannah Almira (Myra) Lee Churches, Lee’s mother’s sister] is in Nebraska.  They got a telegram last Wednesday saying that Andy Roper [uncle of Robert on his mother’s side] was dead so he and Eddie [Edward Albert Churches, Robert’s brother] started that night.  Aunt Myra had a letter from him Mon.  He shot himself on account of poor health.  Mr. and Mrs. Roper [Robert’s grandparents] feel terrible.   Aunt Myra and the hired man are having all sorts of luck.  Two cows have been sick and last night one horse kicked another one so they had the Dr. to sew up the gash.

“Mamma [Marietta Lee  Wright] was over here yesterday.  Esther [Rebecca Wright, Estella’s sister] can nearly stand alone.

“Grandma [Esther Lee Jenks] is pretty well, says she is going over to Aunt Myra’s tomorrow.   Well, I must go and wash the dinner dishes.   Estelle [Wright Sturman]”

And then across the corner of the card, she writes:

“Write to me as often as you can.  We are glad to know where you are. If you don’t have time to write a letter you can write a card, that doesn’t take long.”

Doesn’t take long unless you fill the whole thing in very small letters!  No wonder Estelle wasn’t able to stamp and send this card — no room for the address.   But, it is good to have a date for when Grandpa Lee was working in Ohio!