Heritage Ramblings

Amanuensis Monday: Lee-Russell Postcard from Golden, Colorado, 12 July 1922

Pahaska Teepee, Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum, Lookout Mountain, Colo. — *Pahaska Tepee, Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum, Lookout Mountain, Colo.*

Buffalo Bill’s memorial was a popular place. The back of the postcard description states,

“PAHASKA TEPEE ATOP LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, COLORADO

The Wm. F. Cody “Buffalo Bill” Memorial. Erected by the City and County of Denver, in honor of the noted Scout and Indian fighter, 1921. The “Tepee” contains the many relics and paintings of the famous frontiersman and was opened to the Public May 29th, 1921. From May to November 1921, 70,000 people from every corner of the globe wrote their names in the register and 280,000 visitors passed through the Museum.”

Postmarked Golden, Colorado July 1922, -PM, the card is addressed to Mrs. Sam Lee, or Dorothy Adele Aiken (1884-1953), called “Dottie” by family and friends. The Lees were living at 1038 Grandview, St. Louis, Missouri, at the time.

The note is signed, “Mother,” and if it was Dottie’s mother, she would have been Dora J. (Russell) Aiken (1864-1955); if Sam Lee’s mother, it would have been Maria Louisa (Brandenburger) Lee. I am inclined to think that if was addressed to both, “Mr. and Mrs. Sam Lee” it might have been written by Maria, but since it is only addressed to Dottie, my hypothesis is that the writer was her mother, Dora J. (Russell) Aiken.

*Reverse of Buffalo Bill Memorial Postcard, 1922*

The card reads:

“Wed-12. Lookout Mt

I am sending you this card from this building up pretty high but a wonderful ride up here. am feeling fine. We are leaving Friday for Estes Park. I do not know when we will leave for the Springs or Manitou. will write soon.

love, Mother”

NOTE: The handwriting under the address is my note from the 1980s that “Mother” was probably Dora Russel per Gene and Vada Lee as we looked through family treasures and discussed them. I am so thankful we did that back then!

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Manitou was a mineral resort and at the foot of Pike’s Peak.

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Friday’s Faces of the Past: the Lees and Reuters in Colorado

1940s trip to Colorado. From left, Bobby Lee (Robert E. "Bob" Lee), Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee, Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Lee, Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter and Walter Reuter on the trail on horseback. — 1940s trip to Colorado. From left, Bobby Lee (Robert E. “Bob” Lee), Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee, Lloyd Eugene “Gene” Lee, Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter and Walter Reuter on the trail on horseback. (Click to enlarge.)

The gift of the “FAN Club” continues- Jeff Reuter has more images for us with dear family on a Colorado trip.

Robert E. "Bob" Lee on the mountain in Colorado, 1940s. — *Little Bobby, or Robert E. “Bob” Lee on the mountain in Colorado, 1940s. (Click to enlarge.)*

Little Bobby Lee was born in 1932, so would have been eight if this trip was in 1940.

*1940s trip to Colorado- Gene & Ruth Lee family and Henrietta and Walter Reuter. (Click to enlarge.)*

Here is another clue to place. Victor, Colorado is about 6 miles from Cripple Creek, and all these historic towns are part of a mining area that has been frequented by tourists for many, many years. Our son was about the same age as his grandfather, “Little Bobby,” when we visited Victor and Cripple Creek. Going down into the mine was such fun for us- wonder if the Lees and Reuters made that trip deep into the earth back in the 1940s?

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Family photos shared by Jeff Reuter- thank you again, Jeff!

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Thankful Thursday- Lee “FAN Club” Pictures from a Kind Person

*Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter on left and Ruth Nadine )Alexander) Lee on right in Colorado, 1940s. (Click to enlarge.)*

Jeff Reuter is the wonderful person mentioned on my Monday post who found our blog after reprinting images from his family treasure archive of negatives. Thankfully he enjoys photography, and has all the equipment needed to reprint the found negatives. (Jeff has a business called Silver Coast Photography in Bradenton, FL; he may be found on weekends taking and making black & white images at the Coquina Beach Market.)

Here was the first comment Jeff left on our blog:

“Gene and Ruth were friends of my mother and father, Henrietta and Walter Reuter. I have reprinted photos of Ruth and Gene and Henrietta when they were in Colorado in 1940.”

1940- from left Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee, Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter, a friend, in center, and Ruth's husband, Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Lee on right with 1940 Pontiac, license plate from Missouri. — 1940- from left Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee, Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter, a friend, in center, and Ruth’s husband, Walter Reuter. Lloyd Eugene “Gene” Lee on right with 1940 Pontiac, license plate from Missouri. (Click to enlarge.)

From an email:

“When I printed the photo with the car, I knew that was Gene, but I had never met Ruth. I would have been nine when she died. I did a Google search for Gene & Vada Lee [Vada was Gene’s second wife, after Ruth died.] and found the Heritage [Ramblings blog] website.

“After finding photos of Ruth online I concluded that the other woman in the photo was Ruth.”

Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee on left with young boy, probably Robert Eugene "Bob" Lee, her son with Lloyd Eugene Lee, probably on right in Colorado, 1940s. — *Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee on left with young boy, probably Robert Eugene “Bob” Lee, her son with Lloyd Eugene Lee, who is probably the man on right. In Colorado, 1940s. (Click to enlarge.)*

From Jeff’s second comment:

“There is also a photo of a sign post in Victor, CO. with directions to Florence, Divide, and Cripple Creek.”

When I saw the above image, I felt that I had been there, and thought it might be Cripple Creek or Victor, Colorado. Jeff’s thorough description of what was in with the photos gives us a more specific clue as to place.

Email:

“The photo [below] of Henrietta and Walter was taken in about 1935 around the time they were married. I have no idea how they met Gene and Ruth. My mother’s maiden name was Fasterling and there is a building in St. Louis called the Fasterling building. She was born in 1913 and grew up in south St. Louis around Magnolia and Brannon. My dad was born in St. Louis in 1908 and grew up on a farm in Batesville, Arkansas. He worked for Southwestern Bell in downtown St. Louis his entire career. The photo with the 1940 Pontiac has a Missouri license plate from 1940, so that pretty much dates the photos.”

Walter & Henrietta (Fasterling) Reuter, 1940s — Walter & Henrietta Reuter, 1940s

Jeff’s second comment included:

“I remember that Gene and Bob would bring fireworks to the home of Mildred and Pete Peterson in Affton, MO on July 4th in the fifty’s. The Petersons were good friends of our family. I can also remember Gene inviting us out on a yacht owned by a drug company and we motored up the Mississippi for a while. That was around 1960 when I was 16.

“The negatives from the Colorado trip that I have printed were stashed in old envelopes that Henrietta kept. I don’t know what happened to the original prints. She died in 2011 at the age of 97. I found the negatives and printed them in my darkroom along with other photos that look to be from that same time. They show Henrietta’s mother Hilda Molin and stepfather Algot Molin and his 1939 Dodge.”

Since the Petersons were good family friends, that might explain how the Reuters met Gene and Ruth Lee- Mildred (Alexander) Peterson was Ruth’s sister. Another tidbit that seems small but can actually provide a link.

When we started this blog, we were hoping it might be ‘cousin bait’ but it has also been a great way to connect with friends, associates, and neighbors, AKA the “FAN Club.” Our family so appreciates Jeff taking the time to contact us and share these wonderful photos!

Notes, Sources, and References:

1) Photo from Lee family treasure chest.

2) Commented post: http://heritageramblings.net/2014/09/22/mystery-monday-tressa-cullen-and-eidlh-cullen/

3) October 2014 comments and emails from Jeff Reuter, reprinted with permission.

4) Willard Goodale “Pete” Peterson (1913-1992) was married to Mildred Rosalie Alexander (1912-1981), the sister of Ruth Nadine (Alexander) Lee.

5) Monday’s post about the Lee’s trips to Colorado: http://heritageramblings.net/2014/10/13/mystery-monday-where-are-our-photos-of-the-lee-family-and-friends-visiting-colorado-in-the-1940s/

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Notes, Sources, and References:

Please contact us if you would like higher resolution images.

Mystery Monday: Where are Our Photos of the Lee Family and Friends Visiting Colorado in the 1940s?

I was excited this morning to see a comment on a previous blog post from a reader whose parents were friends of Gene and Ruth (Alexander) Lee. Henrietta and Walter Reuter were close friends of Lloyd Eugene “Gene” Lee (1907-1991) and his first wife Ruth Nadine Alexander (1906-1953). The commenter has photos of Henrietta with Ruth and Gene in Colorado in the 1940s. What a great opportunity this is to share images and help each other identify people and places!

I knew there were quite a few photos of being out west in Colorado or in Banff, Canada, in our Lee collection. Closer scrutiny, however shows the majority of the photos are from the 1920s- too early probably to include our commenter’s parents, and Gene was a teen in those photos- too young to be married. The only photo I could find from the 1940s with a person in it is the above photo with Gene Lee sitting high on a rock outcropping by a lake.

(I really need to get my photos into a program like Lightroom- my search would have taken just a short time had I tagged all the images I have.)

I wonder if the family visited the same places year after year? Gene did tell us that they went out west frequently for the good air. (Of course, they were all smokers then so maybe the fresh air cleaned their lungs a bit.) There are some images from the twenties that could be the same place as above. It is sort of hard to tell with beautiful mountains and lakes though- they do look somewhat similar, I suppose.

We are really looking forward to seeing the new photos!

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1) Family Album-Lee

Funeral Card Friday: Jefferson Springsteen

This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Jefferson Springsteen's Obituary

Jefferson Springsteen Death Notice in Washington DC Newspaper. Jeff's son, Abram Springsteen, was celebrated as the youngest drummer boy in the Civil War in Indiana, and he worked for the government in the Pension Office. — *Jefferson Springsteen’s Death Notice in an unknown Washington DC Newspaper.*

Sadly, we do not have funeral cards for Jefferson Springsteen in our family, but there were a few death and funeral notices published in the newspaper for him, including one in the Washington DC newspaper. (Jeff’s son, Abram F. Springsteen, was celebrated as the youngest drummer boy in the Civil War in Indiana, and he worked for the Federal government in the Pension Office.)

See the originals of Jeff’s obituary and death/funeral notices that we have at “Wishful Wednesday: Jefferson Springsteen was “Lured by the Sawdust Ring…”

Here are the transcriptions:

WILL BE BURIED TUESDAY

Funeral Services of Jefferson Springsteen at Home of Daughter

The funeral of Jefferson Springsteen, who for seven months had been confined

to his bed at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. J. F. Beckwith, 1118

Bellefontaine street, with whom he made his home, will take place from there at

2 p.m. tomorrow. The burial will be at Crown Hill cemetary. His wife died

twenty-two years ago. He is survived by the following children: Abram F.

Springsteen of the pension department, Washington, D.C.; Robert Springsteen,

this city; Charles Springsteen, Champaign, Ill.; Mrs. E.P. Beerbower and Mrs.

J. F. Beckwith, this city; also by eight grandchildren and eleven

great-grandchildren.

His death occcurred Saturday afternoon. He was born at Harrison, O.

February 14, 1820 and when a boy ran away with a circus, but soon gave up the

sawdust ring. He came to Indianapolis in 1835 and when sixteen years old was in the employ of the government carrying the

mail on horseback between this city and Winchester, a trip of sixty-five miles.

In 1837 he went to New York, where for some time he had a restaurant at the

old Fulton market. He married Anne Connor of Brooklyn and in 1852 they came to

this city for permanent residence. He was a Democrat and soon became a leader

in his party in local politics. In 1854 he was made “captain of the watch” and

between 1855 and 1861 served as city marshal. He was well known as a

contracting painter for many years, but retired from active business life

twenty years ago.

————————————

CARRIED MAIL ON HORSEBACK

Public Service Began When 16

Over 65-Mile Route- Later

Democratic Politician.

Jefferson Springsteen, one of the oldest pioneers of Indiana, died at 8

o’clock yesterday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Joseph Beckwith,

1118 Bellefontaine street, closing an eventful and interesting career of

ninety years. The funeral will be held at the home Tuesday afternoon with

interment at Crown Hill Cemetary.

—————————————-

SPRINGSTEEN, JEFFERSON – Died in his ninetieth year at the home of his

daughter, Mrs. Joseph Beckwith, 1118 Bellefontaine street. Funeral notice

later.

—————————————–

SPRINGSTEEN – Jefferson Springsteen, age [?] years. Funeral Tuesday, September

28, at [?] p.m. at the home of his daughter Mrs. [?] Beckwith, 1118 Bellefontaine

st. Friends invited. Burial private.

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1) Family Treasure Chest

2) Abram F. Springsteen HeritageRamblings blog posts:

Sibling Saturday: Happy Birthday, Abram F. Springsteen! Part 1

Sentimental Sunday: Abram F. Springsteen, Part 2

Heritage Ramblings

Amanuensis Monday: Lee-Russell Postcard from Golden, Colorado, 12 July 1922

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Friday’s Faces of the Past: the Lees and Reuters in Colorado

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Thankful Thursday- Lee “FAN Club” Pictures from a Kind Person

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Mystery Monday: Where are Our Photos of the Lee Family and Friends Visiting Colorado in the 1940s?

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Funeral Card Friday: Jefferson Springsteen

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