“…Why In The World Don’t You Write…” Feb. 1st, 1906

Question

Hi Wikitreers,

I have in my antique post card collection a vintage post card dated February 1, 1906. 

To: Mrs. Robert Sheals Bailey, 77 Germ Ave, Bridgeport, Conn

From: Alice Amelia Nelson

Bio: needs transcribing 

1.) Needs collaboration in connecting the genealogy behind the post card

2.) Needs the post card transcription. Is the addy Germ Ave or Germ Ave??

3.) Who was Alice Amelia Nelson? Is there a 1900/1910/1920 census of her? 

4.) Who was Mrs. Robert Sheals Bailey? Is middle name spelled “Sheals”? Is there a 1900/1910/1920 census of them at 77 Germ Ave, Bridgeport, Conn in 1906?

Any collaboration is appreciated 

Thank you 

”Why in the world don’t you write if nothing more than a postal. Am working in East Hampton now. How are you all, if you don’t write pretty soon there will be trouble I can tell you. With lots of love. Alice Amelia Nelson”

Answer 1

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KMF-P4C6

Name     Alice Amelia Nelson
Birth Date     10 Mar 1883
Birth Place     East Hampton, Connecticut, USA
Father     John Nelson
Mother     Charlotte H Nelson

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK2C-HKM 1910

: John Nelson    M    White    71    Married    Head        Sweden
: Charlotte Nelson    F    White    66    Married    Wife        Sweden
: Alice A Nelson    F    White    27    Single    Daughter        Connecticut

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52193373/alice-a.-worthington

Comments

Census records

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M97M-32P 1900
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCN7-KF3 1920
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM59-5FL 1930
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K71V-BJZ 1940
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FM6-5GZ9 1950

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Husband Edward

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9Q1-PF1

: George Worthington    M    White    37    Married    Head        Connecticut
: Charlotte E Worthington    F    White    30    Married    Wife        Connecticut
: Eward C Worthington    M    White    13    Single    Son        Connecticut
: Julia C Worthington    F    White    10    Single    Daughter        Connecticut
: William F Worthington    M    White    4    Single    Son        Connecticut

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Wow you found her! The whole name so has to be her Alice Amelia Nelson…I will follow up soon but this is great!

Just a hunch but I wonder if they named her middle name after the famous Amelia Earhart

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Swedish roots with surname “Nelson”

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Updated her profile any further collaboration is always appreciated to improve upon her genealogy. Thank you

Added transcription of post card best I can read it. She was about 23 years old when she wrote it.

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1950 census shows her husband occupation as mowing lawns for cemetery. It appears a grounds keeper at the cemetery not sure which cemetery. He had a variety of jobs house painter etc

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Just to add a fact. It appears the post card was addressed to the wife  Emily Jane (Arnold) Bailey (1877 - 1962). She passed away on her birthday per her memorial. She was married abt. 1901. Yet a piece of the last and genealogy still survive over 100 years later. I still can’t find the connection between the Baileys and Miss Alice Amelia Nelson. I’m leaning towards they were likely her employers and not family but like family. Unknown. 

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These are fascinating exercises, aren't they? I got a photo from ebay for someone - I've already made a profile. I really must get around to scanning it!

Thanks for the WW :)

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Definitely or it’s lost to history 

The antique stores have so many and eBay does to. 

I’m focused mostly on East Hampton and it’s early 20th and 19th century currently. 

Any civil war era type genealogy is always a treasure 

Note: I would love to see a hidden treasure of my direct ancestor found in an antique shop etc imagine gg and a post card they wrote ! A photo of my paternal grandpa in WW II uniform was found at a flea market lol

Answer 2

To me, it looks like the address is Gem Ave, no R.

Comments

I would agree I thought Gern Germ but Gem makes more logical sense

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Actually, I should have added that I looked it up on Google maps, and Gem Ave is there.

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Even after almost 120 years still same names road! Amazing

Answer 3

The Bridgeport, Connecticut City Directory (1906) lists, at page 31, the following Bailey:

Robert S., mgr 1207 Main, h 77 Gem av

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31567598:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=a0dfe2da-696f-4ae6-acc8-dfbd4fe50566&_phsrc=nxM1476&_phstart=successSource

The Bridgeport, Connecticut City Directory (1909) lists the same Bailey at page 1020:

Bailey, Robert S. rem to East Haddam

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31739862:2469?tid=&pid=&queryId=20266438-0f94-46aa-b1c1-e2b2ad0fa8c0&_phsrc=nxM1484&_phstart=successSource

Comments

That would make him the following man listed in the 1910 U.S. Census:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK2Z-6M8

And he has a familysearch.org profile:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GMYF-871

As does his wife Emily Jane Arnold:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GMYF-C99

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And here is an obituary for him:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/140833487/

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Thank you so much Roger will be following up soon very (busy day) these are some great tie in sources for the Bailey part of the vintage antique post card.

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Thank you Roger updating Robert Shields Bailey (1876 - 1954) with the new sources 

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I’m so baffled as to Alice Amelia Nelson’s relationship to the Baileys was…maybe friends? Family? And employer? It appears she was sending the postcard to the wife Mrs. Bailey