This is one of the oldest pieces of correspondence to Esther Richardson in my collection. The postmark reads Aug 19 1909 from Ringgold, VA. There is a second partial postmark that appears to read Aug 20 1919 Midway, VA. This postcard to 13 year old Esther reads:
Hello Esther,
I received your card all O.K. Esther cousin Daniel got his horse and buggy now. He reached home about eight o'clock, the horse is not damaged much has fallen off some. Cousin Daniel is not so wee, he is worried very much.
The card is signed on the front: bye bye Lizzie . I have not been able to determine definitively who Lizzie was, but she was likely a Richardson cousin of Esther's. Cousin Daniel as referred to by Lizzie is likely Daniel T Richardson, Esther's father.
So , there you have it - a little slice of Esther's early teenage life. She was living in rural VA and already corresponding with her friends and cousins through mail.
I'd love to be able to share this postcard with Lizzie's descendants. Maybe one day I'll find them (or they will find me).
While I would really like to display this postcard and the many others I have, I do not. I keep them in archival type folders to protect them from deterioration.
Tip: If you wish to display an ancestor's letter or original signature, make a digital copy to display.