I was hoping to find a Father’s Day Card somewhere in my great grandmother’s collection but had no luck. I did, however, find this lovely page in her daughter’s autograph book. Her daughter, Georgiana Frances, was nicknamed “Georgie” when she was young. Georgie’s father, Mary’s first husband George Schenk, died on October 31, 1915, when Georgie was only 14 years old. Seven days before he died, he signed her autograph book. He had been sick for two years with tuberculosis so it seems quite likely he knew he was dying when he penned this note. He was only 38 years old.
Dear Daughter Georgie . . . signed by Your Loving Father, George Schenk
[1] “Will. Schenk” was William Schenk, George Schenk‘s brother. Sadly, William died of pneumonia at the young age of 28 on August 20, 1900.
[2] The sign above the “Opera House” sign reads “A.O.U.W. Hall”. I learned that A.O.U.W. is an acronym for Ancient Order of United Workmen, which is a fraternal organization that provided social and financial support after the Civil War. Its founder, John Jordan Upchurch, was also a freemason. For more information on the A.O.U.W., click here.
[3] There are two posters on the Opera House building and one on the building to the right referring to “Murray & Mack”. They were a comedy team billed as the “Irish Comedians” and were on the vaudevillian circuit for 21 years. By 1914, the team broke up and Charlie Murray joined Biograph Studios. Two years later, he joined Keystone Pictures Studios where he appeared in several films with Charlie Chaplin.
I performed a search for possible newspaper ads for this performance of “Finnigan’s Ball” at the Marysville Opera House on Thursday, October 26, 1896 (you can barely make out that date on the poster on the far left side of the building) but was unable to locate anything. I did, however, locate an ad from The Helena Independent dated October 28, 1899, for a performance of the same comedy act for that evening. It seems likely that the comedy troupe was traveling in the area and had just performed in Marysville two nights earlier on Thursday, October 26th. Perhaps the date on the back of the photo is incorrect? I feel fairly certain that in many instances Mary would obtain a photo many years after an event and just make a good guess at a date.
This is a letter from George Schenk to Mary dated April 29, 1897, while he was living in Belt, Montana – several years before they married. Spelling, punctuation and capitalization are as seen in the original letter, except for edits I made as necessary to clarify meaning.
Belt Apr. 29/97
My Dearest Mary,
I received your kind and loving letter Tuesday and was glad to hear from you. It is not as it used to be sence I am down here. I can’t see you every day now. But that sweet face I never shall forget.
Mary, I guess you think I am having a great old time down here with the girls the way you rote that letter but you are mistaken if you think I am. Thair are a lot of girls in the Coulee and the same in Belt[1]. But there is none of them for me. I met a few girls that I know before and that all I care to know. I am not looking for fun. Now days I know a few marryed women that comes over to see Edith[2] and one of them told me I was an awful quiet boy. If I was like the rest of the kids in this town, I would be run [illegible] it. There is a lot of them drunk every day.
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