Author: Lark

She could have danced all night!

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From Mary’s ephemera collection . . . this dance card for the Christmas Ball given by the Marysville Miner’s Union, No. 103.

Although the dance card is undated, I suspect the event took place a year or two prior to Mary’s wedding to George Schenk which took place in August 1900.

Translation:

Christmas
BALL
Given By
Marysville Miner’s Union, No. 103,
W.F. of M.
Music by Brass’ Full Orchestra.

Inside the card is a “Programme” that lists the dances and Mary’s dance partners that night.

Transcription (left side)

Grand March.

  1. Plain Quadrille.       Howard Ped[?]
  2. Plain Waltz.       Peter A[?]ne
  3. Shottische.       [illegible]
  4. Two Step.       ” Conrad
  5. Plain Lancers.       Peter A[?]ne
  6. Plain Waltz.       Amos
  7. Polka.       J. Slater
  8. Waltz Quadrille.       S. Sullivan
  9. Two Step.       P. A[?]ne
  10. Comas Waltz.       Carl
  11. Plain Quadrille.       Something
  12. Plain Waltz.       Warden

Transcription (right side)

13. Plain Waltz.       Sl[???]
14. Plain Lancers:       Jay Hart
15. Two Step.       P. A[?]ne
16. French Minuette.       Mr. Conard
17.  Shottische.       J. Slater
18. Plain Quadrille.       J. Mongan
19. Plain Waltz.       P. Hindlen
20. Newport.       Geo Schenk
21. Waltz Quadrille. Mr.      [illegible]
22. Polka.       [illegible]
23. Two Step.       Will S.
24. Plain Waltz.       E. Bir[??]ham
25. Medley.       [illegible]

Apparently Mary only danced with George one time that night – dance #20, the “Newport”.


Western Federation of Miners

The Christmas Ball was given by the “Marysville Miners’ Union No. 103, W.F. of M.” After a little internet research, I concluded that “W.F. of M.” probably stood for the Western Federation of Miners.

The “WFM” was a merger of several miners’ unions representing copper mines from Montana, silver and lead miners from Idaho, gold miners from Colorado, and hard rock miners from South Dakota and Utah. This particular union gained a reputation for its militancy in the mines of the Western United States and British Columbia.

Montana has a very interesting mining and labor history. For more information about this particular union, you can read more in this Wikipedia article.


Copyright (c) 2017, Lark M. Dalin Robart

May 1932: “Emelia Erhardt Putnam”, cleaning the “dam house”, and Marysville baseball

~ Lark ~ 2 Comments

May 20, 1932

Emelia Erhardt[1. Correct spelling is “Amelia Earhart” but Mary’s spelling of Amelia’s maiden name is interesting to note because she (Mary) had a cousin by the same last name, but spelled “Erhardt” instead of “Earhart”.] Putnam flew from Newfoundland to Ireland, 2000 mi. in 14 hrs. + 54 minutes. Col. Chas. Lindberg flew the same route 5 yrs. ago.

May 22, 1932

The Marysville Ball team played today. Christ Schenck, Gordon O’Connell, Clarence Beaver, Joe Color, Ralph Williams, Tom Williams, Herman Ingman, Lester Rudio, Thadius Smygie, Mr. Brown of the St. Louis Mine and Rob O’Connell were umpires. The day was cold & windy, I went home got my heavy coat & a shawl for my feet. There were near 30 cars around the grounds. Marysville 4 – Mont. Power 10. Margie Larson sure was encouraging them all.[2. This is a picture of the Marysville baseball team from about the same time period. I labelled the players based on Mary’s handwritten notations at the bottom of the photo. There are two names I was unsure of: the 2nd man from the left and the last man on the right, both in the back row. The players she listed are: Beaver, Murrio?, M. Rudio, Ingman, Smigaj, Cooper?, Colar, Schenck (Mary’s son Christie), T. Williams, Korting, O’Connell, Haley, R. Williams, D. Rudio.]

May 27, 1932

Christie did the dishes for me today. My back feels broken.

May 30, 1932

I cried . . . and swore terrible because Frances came up Saturday to take me down for Corpus Christie and Memorial Day but Christie and Albert found all kinds of excuses what I was needed home for. I was not needed home at all . . . I baked and cleaned the dam [sic] house but they both were out. Lincoln and Marysville played ball today.[2. I hope Mary made it to the ballgame that day!!] Mary’le[3. “Mary’le” is Mary’s abbreviation for Marysville.] lost.

NOTES

The Ledbetter Boys

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Another wonderful photo from Mary’s collection . . .

Handwriting on the back of the photo identifies the boys as “Mark and Codie Ledbetter”. The photo is dated 1914 and was taken in Neihart, Montana.

Mark and Codie were the sons of Edith and David Ledbetter. Edith was the sister of Mary’s first husband, George Schenk.