Name Day & Easter Greetings (1908) - from Gerda's Postcard Album

 R.018.01 - A Name Day Card

Gerda's Name Day in the Swedish Almanac was/is 23 March.

To: Gerda Ekman (Chicago)
From: Anna Johnson (mars 1908) 

Gerda gratuleras på det hjärtligaste af en gammal vän på Gerda-dagen
den 23 mars 1908. / Anna Johnson
Kom och se mig någon gång

Heartfelt greetings to you from an old friend on your name-day, 23 May 1908.
Anna Johnson
Come and see me some time!

Comment:
1/ This card must have been sent in an envelope. (No address or trace of a stamp.)
2/ The surname indicates that either she got married, or she changed her Swedish name to sound more American. The phrasing of her invitation to Gerda also indicates that she has been in America for a while, as she is mixing English and Swedish expressions.

Kommentar:
1/ Detta kort måste ha skickats i kuvert, då det saknar både adress och spår av frimärke.
2/ Anna Johnson: Hette hon Jonsson i Sverige eller har hon gift sig med en Johnson? Att döma av uttrycket "kom och se mig" så har hon i alla fall bott i Amerika länge nog för att blanda sin svenska med engelska...

Easter Sunday in 1908 was 19th April

R.019.02

To: Miss Gärda Ekman, 3328 Michigan Ave, City*
From: Anna (Chicago, 18 April, 1908) [Lincoln Park?] 

Happy Easter to you from Anna

Comment: It seems this card was posted within Chicago. The name on the cancellation was probably Lincoln Park? Possibly this card is from the same Anna who wrote the name-day card above, but hard to say for sure.

R.018.02

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, 3328 Michigan ave., Chicago Ill.
From: Gustaf (Galeton, Pa), 17 April 1908

Hello syster! Lycka till, en glad påsk med många ägg o många vackra pojkar. Jag mår bra, hoppas du gör detsamma.

Hello sister! I wish you good luck and a happy Easter with many eggs and  many pretty boys. I am well and hope you are, too.

Comment: The card is not signed, but from the greeting and postmark I conclude it's from Gerda's brother Gustaf, who was living in Galeton, Pennsylvania, at the time.

Kommentar: Kortet är inte undertecknat, men att döma av hälsningen "hello syster" och poststämpeln (GA--- PA) är avsändaren hennes bror Gustaf i Galeton, Pennsylvania.

R.019.01

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, 3328 Michigan ave, Chicago Ill.
From: Helén (Rockford, 18 April, 1908)

Rockford, 18th April 08
Kära Gerda, Jag skäms att jag icke har skrifvit förut men bättre sent än aldrig. Jag mår bra. Julia o Agnes äro också friska. Hoppas du skrifver snart igen. Treflig påsk. från Helén

Rockford, 18th April 08
Dear Gerda, I'm sorry that I haven't written earlier, but better late than never. I am well. Julia and Agnes are also healthy. I hope you will write again soon. Happy Easter from Helén

Comment: From the same Helén who sent Easter Bunnies in October 1907 (R.011.01)

'To Greet Thee' - Easter Bunnies in October (1907)

From Gerda's Postcard Album

R.011.01 

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, 3328 Michigan ave., Chicago, Ill.
From: Helén (Rockford, Ill.), Oct 2, 1907

Kära Gerda. Tack för kortet som jag fick, roligt höra från dig. Jag mår bra. Det skulle vara roligt om du kome hit och stannade en vecka. Skrif snart igen. / Helén

Dear Gerda. Thanks for the card you sent me, nice to hear from you. I am well. It would be nice if you'd come and stay a week. Write again soon. / Helén

---

Kommentar:

Kortet har påskmotiv (harar + ägg) men sändes i oktober.
Jag vet inte om Helén var någon som Gerda kände redan från Sverige, eller om de lärde känna varandra in Chicago.

Comment:

With bunnies and eggs on it, the picture is an Easter card, even if sent in October! 
I don't know if Helén was someone Gerda knew from back in Sweden, or if they got to know each other in Chicago.

R.039.01 Glad Påsk - Happy Easter (1910)

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, 3328 michigan ave, Chicago Ill., Nordt America

From: Edit Vilander (Gerdas systerdotter/niece)

GLAD PÅSK

Hjärtliga lyckönskningar på namnsdagen.
De käraste hälsningar från Edit Vilander.

Datum syns inte, men kanske var det 1910: 

1/ Det framgår av andra vykort att Gerda bodde på denna adress åtminstone från november 1906 och t.o.m. 1910;  och i folkbokförings-protokollet från 1910, är Gerda registrerad under Nr 3328 som "servant" hos Dr Otto L Schmidt.

2/ Gerda har namnsdag den 23 mars i den svenska almanackan.

3/ 1910 inföll påskhelgen 25/3-28/3.

4/ Kortet är insatt långt bak i Gerdas vykortsalbum bland andra kort från ca 1910. 

 

HAPPY EASTER
Best wishes on your name-day from Edit Vilander.

The date is not visible, but my guess is 1910:
1/ Other cards show that Gerda was living at this address from around November 1906 through 1910, and she was also registred at No. 3328 in the US Population Census 1910, as servant in the household of Dr Otto L. Schmidt.

2/ Gerda's "name-day" in the Swedish calendar is March 23.
3/ Easter 1910 was March 25-28 (so very close to her nameday).

4/ In the postcard album, the card is on one of the last pages, among cards from 1910. 

R.003.1, R.003.2 - New Year & Easter 1903, and Gerda's Whereabouts

From Gerda's postcard album:

Around New Year 1902/03, Gerda was living at:
6019 Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois

Godt Nytt År tillönskas af Elin o Oscar.
(Har du fått brefvet?)

Happy New Year from Elin & Oscar.
(Did you receive the letter?)

In April 1903, Gerda was living at: 

c/o Mrs Deutsche, 35 Elaine Street, Chicago

(or had perhaps already moved away from there?
but it seems the card reached her anyway!)

Nu har ni väl sommar i America? Tänker mig eljest vågade vi inte begifva oss iväg dit på velociped, som du ser. 

En glad Påsk! tillönskas dig hjärtligt från Elin! Hur snart får vi något fotografi från dig "såsom Americanare"? Jag väntar storligen! Tack för hälsningarna med Oscars bref. Helena bad mig åter hälsa dig så innerligt! Skrift snart igen.

I suppose you have summer in America now? Otherwise we would not dare go there by velocipede, like you see here. /  I wish you a Happy Easter! How soon will we get a photo of you as an "American"? I'm very much looking forward to that! Thanks for your greetings with Oscar's letter. Helena asked me again to send you her best wishes. Please write again soon. / Elin
[Elin is Gerda's sister-in-law, married to her brother Oscar]


When I read Elin's request for a photo of Gerda "as an American", the photo below comes to mind as one that may have been sent back to Sweden as reply. (I don't even remember just now where I have the original photo! but luckily it turns out I both scanned and edited it before.)

Found the original. That is printed as a postcard as well, and from Chicago. And I guess the odd position of the image on the card may be deliberate, to make room for Gerda's habit of scribbling her messages all around  it!

(Image edited by me back in 2013)

PS. I see now that I already posted about Elin's postcards as well as the car photo back in 2013, for two different Sepia Saturdays: March 22 (Painting A Bright Future) and April 14 (Destination Unknown). Never mind - that was a while ago now! :)

Sepia Saturday: Painting A Bright Future

R.003.1, R.003.2

“So this week we are celebrating those who paint with oils or pastels and those who paint with light.”

This week’s inspirational photo from Sepia Saturday shows photographers and artists portraying cherry blossom trees in Washington. I can’t recall any photos of photographers in action in my old family albums - only the results! So I decided to go with the spring theme instead, and bring in some colour; in the form of two greeting cards sent to my great-aunt Gerda shortly after her emigration to North America. A New Year card posted from Sweden in January 1903, and an Easter card stamped 7 April 1903. (Easter Sunday 1903 was 12th April.)

R.003.1 – Happy New Year! (Godt Nytt År)

No. 7502

To:
Miss Gerda Ekman
6019 Morgan St.
Chicago Ills.
Nort-America

Happy New Year, from Elin and Oscar
[Oscar was one of Gerda’s brothers, and Elin his wife]
[Upside down:] Did you receive the letter?

 

R.003.2 – Happy Easter (Glad Påsk)

Miss Gerda Ekman
in care of Mrs. Deutsche
35 Elaines St.
/Chicago Ills./
Nort-America

Happy Easter! – best wishes from Elin. How soon can we expect a photograph of you “as American”? I’m waiting with great anticipation! Thanks for the greetings sent with the letter to Oscar. Helena asked me again to send you her best wishes. Please write again soon. / I suppose you have summer in America now? I imagine it must be, or else we would not dare go there by velociped, as you see.

The Easter card was first stamped on board a train (7.4.1903), and then again on board the ferry Trelleborg-Sassnitz (8.4.03). The street address is scored out with a different colour, indicating that Gerda had moved on again before it arrived. (She stayed in Chicago though, at least through 1910. In June 1913 I know she was back in Sweden. She might have gone back earlier; but I’m not sure.)

…

“Den ljusnande framtid är vår”

Veckans inspirationsbild från Sepia Saturday föreställer både fotografer och konstnärer i färd med att avbilda våren i Washington (för ca hundra år sedan) med körsbärsträd i blom.

Jag kan inte påminna mig några foton av andra fotografer i de gamla familjealbumen, så istället går jag på temat “vår” och scannar ett par kort från Gerdas samling av gratulations-kort från första decenniet av 1900-talet.

Dessa två är de första adresserade till henne i Chicago, vintern/våren 1903:

R.03.1
Godt Nytt År! tillönskas dig af Elin o Oscar.
PS. Har du fått brefvet?

R.03.2
Glad Påsk! tillönskas dig hjärtligt från Elin! Hur snart får vi något fotografi från dig “såsom americanare”? Jag väntar storligen! Tack för hälsningarna med Oscars bref. Helena bad mig åter hälsa dig så innerligt. Skrif snart igen. / Nu har ni väl sommar i America? Tänker mig så eljest vågade vi inte begifva oss iväg dit på velociped, som du ser.

Påsk-kortet är poststämplat först ombord på tåg 7.4.1903 men även ombord på färjan Trelleborg Sassnitz 8.4.03. Gatuadressen i Chicago har strukits över med penna i annan färg vilket tyder på att Gerda flyttat därifrån innan kortet nådde dit. (Men fick det ju uppenbarligen i alla fall!) Det framgår av övriga vykort adresserade till henne att hon vistades i Chicago minst hela 1910. (Från 1911 och 1912 finns inga kort i vykortsalbumet. Det sista kortet i albumet är från 1913 och adresserat till henne på Brunnshotellet i Ronneby i Sverige.)

R.002-02 Glad Påsk / Happy Easter

“Look”

Postmark: (Sörby?) 30.3.1902

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, Wilander, Sörby

En glad och treflig påsk!
Hjärtliga hälsningar (B. F-n)

(B. Fredriksson? Jämför nyårshälsningen R.001-01)

…

In English

A happy and enjoyable Easter!
Best regards, (B. F-n)

I think the sender here may be the same friend who sent the R.001-01 card with the New Year greeting. (B. Fredriksson)

R.002-01 Gott Nytt År! / Happy New Year!

(Import.)

To: Miss Gerda Ekman, Sörby

(Gott Nytt År!) Tillönskas af Bror Oscar.
Mycken tack för julpresenten.

(Happy New Year!) from Brother Oscar.
Many thanks for the Christmas present.

R.001-02 New Year 1902

Gesetzlich geschützt. No 837. “Erika”
(German: Copyright)

New Year 1902

To: Miss Gerda Ekman (Wilander), Sörby

…

Godt Nytt År tillönskar vännen … (Emil? Erik?)

Happy New Year from your friend ….

I can’t decipher the signature, but it’s from a friend.
New Year cards with the specific year printed in the picture seem to have been popular in the early 1900’s.

R.001-01 Folkdräkt, Skåne (1901)

R.001-01  Folk Costume, Skåne (1901)

Skånsk Skördebild. (Harvest picture from Skåne.)

Postmark: Sörby 31.12.1901
To: Miss Gerda Ekman, B Wilander, Sörby

Godt nytt år! Tillönskas av B. Fredriksson

Happy New Year! from B. Fredriksson

…

The previous post G007.3 (Folkdräkt, Jösse Härad) from Gustav’s postcard album reminded me of this card I’d seen in his sister Gerda’s album – also a harvest picture and with folk costumes, but from a different part of Sweden (Skåne, the most southern province).

There seems to be only four cards in Gerda’s card collection from before she went to America, and I thought I’ll insert those here before I go on with Gustav’s album.

These four cards confirm that around New Year and Easter 1902 Gerda was staying with her older sister Emma and family at Sörby near Falköping. (Emma’s husband was Brynolf Wilander.)