Pillsbury A Mill 1909 Signed Gibson and THE ITCH Postcard Talk

PostCard Talk

Mary Katherine May

QualityMusicandBooks.com

Minnesota entered the Union in May of 1858, on the heels of the Panic of 1857 and when on the cusp a large growth in population.  Water was everything.  Settlers first came by water, or across water to  stake their claim in what would be called the Land of 10,000 Lakes. 

Water was what drove the two major industries in the Minnesota Territory and New State, logging and milling.  Logging for lumber to build, but also to drive the wheels of the milling industry, until the trees were all gone.

Mr. Pillsbury did his homework.  He traveled and studied how the best flour mills around were built and operated, and then declared he would build the largest mill in the world.  The Pillsbury A Mill went into operation in 1881.  Our postcard here is dated 1909 by the postal cancel.  Unfortunately for us, the photograph takes in such a large area that the buildings, river, and falls are too small to get a good look at the details. 

The photo was taken by Charles P. Gibson of St. Paul, Minnesota.  We can tell because it is 'signed' on the front, lower right.  Mill A is labeled in a text box, and other descriptives are printed at the lower edge center as follows.

St. Anthony Falls, Stone Arch Bridge,

Int'al Stock Food Bld'g, and Pillsbury

"A" Mill, Minneapolis.



Postally what is interesting is the double cancel. On the front at the lower edge and upside down is the postmark at the receiving end: Sparta, Wis., Nov. 29, 1909, 7 AM, along with a flag killer.  On the (divided) back is the mailed cancel: St. Paul, Minn., Nov. 28, 1909, 5 PM., with a seven wavy line killer.

We know that the addressee, T.J. Pittenger (or Pittinger) in Sparta, Wisconsin was the Father of the sender, who may have been named Winnie, or Winnifred.  The signature is small, in the corner, and faded.

Poor Father, he has an itch.  An ongoing itch can be a terrible thing--a person can't sleep, can't sit, can't even think sometimes.  We don't know what was causing it, but it must have been disrupting his life.


Dear Father:
Warren sent you the paper yesterday.  Write and let us know if you rec'd it O.K. and you & ma like it, am sorry you have had the itch, hope you are alrite (alright) now.  With Love, Winn

We are having awful weather Aunt Barbara was dressed so poor that day, (cannot read) her. Warren wondered what old wash woman I was talking to.

Did you catch what is missing?  that day ... When was that day?  Was was going on that day? Why didn't Aunt Barbara come out of the rain?  Why was she dressed in the wrong clothing for the weather conditions?  Did Winn and Warren help their aunt out, or after a conversation did she leave for home still wet? 

Questions! Questions!  We will never know--unless, that is, someone knows and tells us so the story can be posted here!