California Genealogical Society: Blog

Recent Posts

10 February 2010

A Valentine From the Manuscript Collection

This month's word prompt for the 20th Edition of the Smile For The Camera Carnival is "Valentine."
Love is in the air, so celebrate with Smile by sharing a photograph of a Valentine; be that person or paper. The interpretation of Valentine is yours. Admission is free with every photograph!

This special valentine is part of the California Genealogical Society's manuscript collection. Linda Darby shared it with me and it was so adorable I snapped a couple of photographs. Now I have the perfect opportunity to share them.

This valentine is neither paper nor person - it is actually a piece of fabric - muslin, I believe - and seems to have been created to commemorate a GRIFFIN family event.




It is a list of family names and the upper right corner includes the following:

August 11, 1908
Souvenir
Picnic Dinner
Griffin Family



Detail - Upper Right Corner


The California Genealogical Society manuscript collection, stretching ninety linear feet on the shelves, consists of loose papers, research and family histories donated to the library over its 100‐plus year history. A searchable document provides a synopsis of each collection and can be downloaded from the society's website.

Photographs by Kathryn M. Doyle, November 16, 2009, Oakland, California.

4 comments:

Madaleine J. Laird said...

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing one of the many treasures in your collection.

world-cup-ticket-Crazy said...

That piece is from 1908? I wonder how old is the holiday itself. Definitely a lot older than I thought.

Nancy said...

It's a wonderful piece. Were the images painted or drawn or printed or embroidered or ? on the fabric? The hearts almost look glittery. The little envelope outline looks penned or penciled. Thanks for sharing it.
Nancy from My Ancestors and Me at www.nancysfamilyhistoryblog.blogspot.com

Lorna said...

Found in the 1910 US census, Searsport, Waldo, ME: Warren A. Griffin, 70, ("Post Master"), wife--Laura E. and their grown children (ages 25-36): Francis, Prudence, Edna, Mary & Warren, Jr--all but one was listed on the embroidery. I wonder if they have any descendants?!
Note: though the motif is Valentines Day, the event captured with the cloth is in August...