The Psychogenealogist Pic of the Week (#106): "Heard You Were Lonesome"

Every Friday The Psychogenealogist shares a "Pic of the Week." The intent is to encourage thought and imagination about the spaces where psychology, genealogy, and history converge.

Here is a funny (sort of?) pre 1930s postcard. A plump and harried man stands, sweating, on a scale marked “Out of Order”. The punny caption reads: “I would like to see you but I can’t get away”. The punchline is parenthetically explained: “(weigh)”. Get it?

The postcard was sent from Manistee, Michigan to a Miss Amelia Naukee at 536 Beniteau Blvd. in Detroit. I can’t discern a year, but it is for sure before 1932, the last time you could send a postcard for a penny. It is similar in style to other postcards I have seen, however, from around 1910.

I’ve enlarged the note portion of the card.

Here is my best guess as to what it says. Let me know if you agree or if you would make changes.

Dear Amelia:

I have got next to your add and heard that you are lonesome so here is a word to cheer you up. How do you like Detroit? Big enough to get lost in, eh? You can’t be very far from Hertl’s (?) place. Have you been there? She lives at 672 Drake (?). And let me hear you are alive and how you are coming on.

Hannah Mortensen

There is so much here to investigate if you are interested in finding the stories of these two you women. Here are some questions I hope you’ll be able to find answers to.

QUESTIONS:

• Who was Amelia Naukee and what is her story?

• Who was Hannah Mortensen and what is her story?

• What is the relationship between the two?

• What year was the postcard send?

• What address are mentioned and do these homes still exist?

  • Keep in mind that all of the street addresses in Detroit were renumbered in 1921. You can find the new addresses compared to the old in this document.

• Why is Amelia lonesome?

• How long has Amelia lived in Detroit?

• Who is that Amelia “can’t be far from”?

• Where in Manistee did Hannah live?

• How and why has this postcard survived as long as it has?

• Is this postcard funny? Cute? Bizarre?

• Are there any newspaper mentions of these women?

• Is there related to Hannah or Amelia alive today who might be interested in this postcard?

I would like to hear whatever you come up with! Feel free to comment below or send me an email!

Related Post: Postcards