Recently, I purchased a vintage postcard online and got a second freebie with it:
Cony High School, Augusta, Kennebec, Maine 1912
Although this postcard isn’t of any interest to me, there was an inscribed message on the back and was mailed to Mr. Everett E. Brown, Clinton, Maine.
Since the postmark indicated a 16 July 1912 mailing, it seemed reasonable that I might be able to identify Everett E. Brown and return this card to a descendant.
I telephoned D—
and she was away
so come down
alone Wed. night
and we will go down and see her.
From. Mabel
While I doubt that “D—” will ever be identified or why Everett and Mabel were making that mysterious Wednesday evening visit to see her, but locating Everett was simple. It also appears that Mabel was his girl and they married just a couple of months after this postcard was mailed.
Everett Earl Brown was born 21 June 1889, the son of Otis C. Brown (1853-1929) and Gertrude McNally (1861-1942). He was the second of three children born in this family.
The family spent most of its life in the Benton and Clinton towns of Kennebec County, Maine.
Children of Otis and Gertrude:
- Nettie Estella, born November 1878; died 1946; married Archibald M. Kent, 25 November 1903, Clinton, Kennebec, Maine. They were the parents of one son and one daughter.
- Everett Earl, born 21 June 1888; died 1947; married Mabel Gladies Witham, 10 September 1912, Benton, Kennebec, Maine. She was the daughter of William Witham and Jennie Jones.
- Verna Pearl, born 20 June 1895; died 1931, Cambridge, Massachusetts, but is buried in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine; married Spurgeon David Manson, probably in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they lived in 1930. It appears they had no children.
As mentioned, Everett and Mabel married about two months after the postcard was mailed, on 10 September 1912. They were the parents of one son, Stanley Earl Brown, bor 10 July 1913, Benton, Kennebec, Maine. He died 10 February 1978, Marion, Marion, Ohio.
Unfortunately, by 1920, Everett and Mabel had not only divorced, but Mabel had married (2) Frank Gerry and they were the parents of a two year old and a newborn, living in Thorndike, Waldo, Maine.
Stanley was living with his father and grandfather in Clinton.
Everett never remarried.
Mabel lived a long life, as she was born 1 March 1895 and passed away on 24 November 1897. Eventually, Stanley had four half siblings – Frank, Alvin, Aubrey and Leland Gerry.
Stanley married Simone Marie Rioux and they were the parents of three children, all still living.
Stanley died in 1978 and Simone in 2011.
This postcard has been returned home to one of Everett’s great grandchildren.