Just the old fashioned way

This postcard is postmarked Bellaire Ohio 9-30-1908 and is addressed to: 

Mrs. H. W. Turner 107 Sylvania St. 38th Ward Pittsburgh Pa. 

The message reads:

Grand Ma

(See to it)

Nothing like this goes, only the old fashioned way 

Grand Pa

Lillian Mary Maddin with baby Elma abt 1908

It appears that Harry William Turner (aka grandpa) was writing to his wife Mary Ellen Turner (maiden name Giesey) after the birth of one of their grandchildren.   Harry and Mary only had 3 children Howell Edwin Turner, William Giesey Turner and Lillian Mary Turner.  I feel reasonably certain that this new grandchild was Elma Lillian Maddin daughter of John Maddin and Lillian Mary Maddin, as Elma was born June 29, 1908, in Pennsylvania.  Elma was the first grandchild of Harry and Mary Turner.  The next closest grandchild in age would have been Ellen, the daughter of William G. Turner, not born until 1910.  

At the time of Elma's parent's marriage, John Maddin and Lillian Mary Turner on June 18, 1907; John was living in Pittsburgh, PA.  Since Elma was born in Pennsylvania just a year later it is probably safe to assume the the newly weds moved to Pittsburgh after their wedding.

This wonderful postcard is also a social commentary on the times.  The kind of baby bottle depicted in the postcard was very controversial and considered detrimental to babies' health because they were difficult to clean (The not so friendly bottle).  So it is no wonder that "grand pa" was concerned.  

Turner - Maddin Family Trees

These are the family trees of John N. Maddin and Lillie M. Turner who were married on 18 June 1907 in Bridgeport, Belmont County, Ohio.  This couple will be the starting point for my study of the Turner - Maddin families.  In the next weeks, months, and years I hope to discover and share the stories of the lives of these people and their families with their descendants.  I hope other family members and researchers will contribute to this effort.  

John Maddin and Lillian Mary Turner took out a marriage license on 17 June 1907 in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virgina (see image of license below), and were married the next day on 18 June 1907 in Bridgeport, Belmont County, Ohio.  (Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958. https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/MXH2-6GV/p4) (NOTE: Wheeling, West Virgina and Bridgport, Ohio are just across the river from one another).   It is interesting that while they were married in Ohio as their marriage license was taken out in West Virginia; we would expect the marriage license to be from the same state as the location of the marriage.  I noticed that several other members of this family living in Ohio also had marriage licenses in Wheeling West Virginia; e.g. Lillian's parents Harry William Turner and Mary Ellen Giesey, and Lillian's brother William Giesey Turner and Anna Ihlenfeld.  It would be interesting to know why this occurred.

John Norton Maddin age 23
(Original owned by Judy Novack)

 

Young John Maddin and Lillian Turner
This photo was probably taken close to the time they were married.  The photo may have been taken on the same day as the formal portrait above as John appears to be the same age and wearing the same outfit.  I have to wonder if there is a similar formal portrait of Lillian somewhere.  

Lillian Turner Maddin with baby Elma
(about 1908)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John N. Maddin & Lillian Mary Turner Maddin
1945

John and Lillian had 5 children:

• Elma Lillian (28 June 1908  Wheeling, Ohio Co. West Virgina. - 13 Mar 2003 Sutherland Key, Monroe County , Florida)
• Norton Turner (2 Feb 1910 Belaire, Belmont Co. Ohio - 20 Jan 1975 Buffalo, Erie Co. New York.
• Marjorie Mary (8 Sept 1911 Canton, Belmont Co., Ohio - 11 Apr 1990 Deltona, Volusia Co. Florida)
• Helen Louise (3 Apr 1914 Buffalo, Erie Co. New York - 4 Aug 1990 Buffalo, Erie Co., New York)
• Dorothy Leona (24 Aug 1920 Buffalo, Erie Co. New York - 30 Mar 1987 Long Beach, Los Angeles Co. California) 

Elma, Dorothy, Lillian, Norton, John, Helen, Majorie
1945

John and Lillian 50th Wedding Anniversary

50th Wedding Anniversary

I'll be sharing more about these grandparents and their ancestors in future blogs.