RPPC 1918 The Betrothed Stewartville Minnesota Miss Clara Radam

The Betrothed

A Stewartville, Minnesota, woman wearing spectacles, with a sense of humor and of a more mature age, most likely never married, who identifies herself only as a Hayseed writes to her friend, Miss Clara Radam, in Rochester, Minnesota, about her betrothed. 

Hello Clara:
Well I must send you the picture of myself and my Betrothed you see I think quite a little of him. I hold him in my hand so no one can get him away from me.  As you send me the picture of you and your beloved I think I would have to return a picture of the same order.  From a Hayseed.

Unfortunately for dating purposes the the last number of the year is not clear, and thus the closest I can get is March 16, 191?.  Stewartville is south of Rochester, Minnesota, and an active community.

Stewartville, Minnesota was founded by Charles Stewart (1816-1886) of New York state who came to Minnesota in 1857, building a mill in 1858, the year of Minnesota's entry into the union.  It was first incorporated in 1893.   Charles served as the village's first postmaster, as in the Minnesota Legislature in the 1860s.

Lastly, although the stamp was removed for some reason other than collecting and not done well, it does reveal the stamp box, which contains CyKo, place postage stamp here. This stamp box was in use from 1904 to into the 1920s.

This postcard is currently in auction on QualityMusicandBooks.com.