This series digitizes a set of postcards collected by my grandfather Donald C. Minor from 1906-1910. Born in Greene County, Pennsylvania in 1902, Donald was the youngest son, youngest grandson and youngest cousin of the Francis Marion and Mary Jane Gwynn Minor clan. His parents, Robert and May Stephenson Minor, sent cards from their travels; his older sister, Helen, sent cards while she was attending school in nearby Waynesburg; aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends sent photocards and holiday greetings from all over the United States with great regularity. The resulting Postcard Collection is both a family puzzle and a cultural window to the world of Donald Minor during the first decade of the twentieth century.
“Hello, Donal,” says Ralph of South Connellsville, Pennsylvania. “How are you. I am well and go to school nearly every day.” Ralph set down his Thanksgiving greetings in late November 1909, perhaps as a way of practicing his cursive.
On the front, a traditional Eastern Wild Turkey is pictured in front of a patriotic banner. The embossed gold oval frames a still life of fruit and flowers. The white lilies were considered symbols of majesty and honor, while strawberries were meant to recall the sweetness in life and character.
Shoots, Roots, and Leaves 