On 22 January 1909 from Billings, Montana a writer identified only as E. A. M. sent a postcard to Mr. C. I. Freeman in Cuba, Illinois. The message reads,

Dear Cusin,
I am in Billings
today on a good time
I am at Byron
now for a while
From your
Cusin, E A M.

The message reports the writer was in Billings, as shown by the postmark. They were likely heading about fifty miles south to Byron, Wyoming.

Image: Cow Boys, Putting On the “Pack,” Postcard (1909)

Front

Back

Cow Boys, Putting On the “Pack,” postcard front and back, 1909, author’s collection.

The two men, as the card says, were cousins, Edward A. Miner and Chester I. Freeman. Their mothers were sisters, Caroline and Clarissa (Blundell).

  • Chester I. Freeman was the son of Isaac and Caroline (Bunnell) Freeman.1
  • Cuba is a town in Fulton County, Illinois. Chester, born 29 July 1875, lived in Fulton County in 1900 and lived there when he registered for the World War I draft in 1918.2
  • Edward Avery Miner, born 2 April 1886 in Illinois, lived with his parent John W. and Clarissa (Bunnell) Miner in 1900 in Carbon County, Mont.3
  • Clarissa, daughter of Charles Bunnell and Mary (Little), died in 1921 in Montana.4
  • Clarissa’s obituary said she was from Illinois and she had sisters living there.5
  • Chester’s mother, Caroline probably died about 1935 in Illinois; she was also the daughter of Charles Bunnell and Mary (Little).6

Too bad Edward’s message did not include more details. It would be interesting to know what prompted the postcard to a cousins twelve-hundred miles away.

There’s a bit of production that went into the postcard. The photograph was taken by Charles Morris of Chinook, Montana.7 The photograph is of the great outdoors and the cowboy life, but it was commercially printed in Germany and plausibly purchased in a town, such as Billings.

  1. 1880 U.S. census, Fulton County, Ill., population schedule, ED 45, Isabel Twp., sheet 16-D, dwelling 151, family 151, Chester Freeman (age 5) in Isaac Freeman (age 34) household; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB3-9JBN : viewed 24 February 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 207.
  2. 1900 U.S. census, Fulton County, Ill., population schedule, ED 13, Cass Twp., sheet 17-A, dwelling 334, family 335, Chester Freeman household; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-63PS-WR7 viewed 24 February 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 302. “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” Chester I. Freeman, serial no. 2301, 12 September 1918; digital images, Fold3.com (https://www.fold3.com/image/561209566/); citing NARA microfilm publication M1509. The census shows born July 1875, compatible with 29 July 1875 Chester used on the draft registration.
  3. 1900 U.S. Census, Carbon County, Mont., population schedule, ED 4, Joliet Twp., sheet 11-B, dwelling 249, family 249, Edward A. Minor in John W. Miner household; digital images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRKS-Q1Z : viewed 24 February 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 909. “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” Edward Avery Miner, serial no. 489, 12 September 1918; digital images, Fold3.com (https://www.fold3.com/image/559940880/); citing NARA microfilm publication M1509. The census shows born April 1886, compatible with 2 April 1886 Edward used on the draft registration.
  4. “Montana, U.S., State Deaths, 1907-2018,” database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1048942:5437 : viewed 24 February 2024), no. Blgs 542, Billings, Yellowstone Co., Clarissa B. Miner, 20 February 1921. Showing parents Charles Bunnell and Mary (Little).
  5. “Pioneer Of This District Is Dead,” obituary, Mrs. Clarisa [sic] B. Miner, Laurel Outlook (Mont.), p. 1, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/602352980/ : viewed 24 February 2024).
  6. “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947,” database, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQML-BJ4 : viewed 24 February 2024), no. 8854, Knox County, Caroline Bunnell Freeman, 9 February 1935; citing FHL film #1754240. Identifying birth 26 July 1851 in McDonough County, Ill., parents Charles Bunnell and Mary (Little).
  7. Charles E. Morris, a photographer lived in Chinook in 1909. “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/), Fort Benton, Mont. City Directory, 1909, p. 145, Charles E. Morris.
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