Monday, October 30, 2006

Lives in Letters: Postcard From a Flirt?

I showed this postcard as a teaser a couple of weeks ago. The front is so cute and funny! One of the things I liked about this one was the message and the address info on the back.

Postcard
Plenty of Flirts
Englewood, New Jersey
June 25, 1912

Addressed to Mr. Van Nest C-
Asbury Park, New Jersey
"The Annesley"

We are in Englewood
at present having a good time.
How does this card strike you?
I suppose you have the same
things in Asbury Park. They are
trying to postpone a barn dance in
Sam G-'s new barn until we get
back. Fine, isn't it? Rachel


Notes:

One of the first things that struck me was the addressee. Mr. Van Nest C- had a name that just smacked of old money, and a street address to go along with it. I checked out the family, and the Van Nests and the C's were a long line of people who could trace their roots back to 16th Century Germany. A family where 9th cousins ended up married, and where sons ended up with names like Van Nest because it was a family name.

With such a lineage, was it odd for him to receive this "flirt" postcard in 1912? Was his mother scandalized? Or was Rachel from a similar background and did that make it okay?

How old were Van Nest and Rachel?

Was "The Annesley" a nickname for Van Nest's house?

And ooh, imagine a time when barn dances were held to celebrate new barns. In New Jersey!

2 comments:

Erin said...

Oooh, intrigue!

Little Willow said...

Oh, how FUN.