John Smith

 

Written on the back, "At foot of John Smith Statue, Lind Porter Photographer, 4/11-1909."  

Were to start.  There's enough of the statue visible that it was easy to match to the John Smith Memorial in Jamestown, Virginia.  But who are the people?  Well, I can't say definitively, but I do have some guesses.  The sculptor was American artist William Couper, born in 1853, died 1942.  The only photographs I could find of him was from earlier in life.  He had a mustache and the same chin shape as the man in the center, although the face is more rounded.  Age perhaps, and certainly many 56 year old men have white hair.  It's the young man next to him that points toward Couper.  His son was a graduate of VMI, the Virginia Military Institute, class of 1904, and he went on to a military career.  As I could only find photos of a young William Couper, his son, also William, all I could find on him was a painting from much latter in life.  But, the man in this picture is wearing a military uniform, so it's a possibility.  Too, the memorial was officially unveiled on May 13, 1910, and it makes sense that it was actually placed in position earlier than that, and that the artist and his family would pose for a picture.  

Now, the statue was the gift of Joseph Bryan and his wife Isobel Lamont Stewart Bryan.  Joseph died in 1904, and Isobel died in 1910.  Clearly Joseph isn't in the picture but the couple had a number of children and the third man might be one of them.  In any case, the statue was officially unveiled by grandson Joseph Bryan III.  According to what I found, he was born in 1904.  As far as the two women go, not a clue, though a family member of some kind is a good guess.  Too, Isobel was the founder of The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.   

Grace Arrives Safely

Postmarked, "NORFOLK, VA MAY 11, 12:30 PM 1931"  Addressed to "Mrs. Mattie Richardson, 4 Judson St., Haverhill, Mass."  And the message, "Mon. 7-45 A.M.  Dear Sister & Barbara, Just arriving at Norfolk.  Have had a nice trip.  A little rough & foggy.  Have been able to eat 3 meals a day which is more than most can say.  Grace"  Sounds like an adventure.

The Merchants & Miners Transportation Company was founded in 1852 providing passenger service between Boston and Baltimore.  Eventually, it would push routes south, beginning service to Miami in the twentieth century.  In 1926, the company bought three sister ships from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company.  I've found a photograph, on the net,  of the particular ship design and it matches the illustration at the top of the card.  The Fairfax, The Chatham, and The Dorchester were used for the Florida run, they carried 314 passengers and 90 crew.  A few automobiles could be carried in the ship's hold for an extra charge.

With American entry into World War 2, the entire fleet of the Merchants & Miners was taken for use as troop transports by the U.S. Army.  The Fairfax survived the war, and after the war's end was sold to a Chinese company and  renamed the Chung Hsing.  The Chatham was torpedoed and sunk of Belle Isle Point, South Carolina,  in 1942.   It was the sinking of The Dorchester that made the news.  On the night of February 3, 1942, the ship was hit by a German torpedo 100 miles from Nassarssauk, Greenland. 675 people out of 906 on board died.

Among the dead were four army chaplains, Father John Washington (Catholic), Reverend Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rabbi Alexander Goode (Jewish) and Rev. George Fox (Methodist).  The four chaplains gave up their life vests to others, and linked arms as the ship slid beneath the surface.  The captain also died.

After the war, the company didn't have enough capital to buy back or replace lost ships.  In 1948 they began liquidating assets and went out of business in 1952, 100 years after the founding of the company.

Because this card is a half tone, lots of little dots, I was unable to get a usable scan with out using the de-screen setting on the scanner.  That's why the images are a bit out of focus.

Shipping Out

"Well mama I am leaving this camp to day which are Mon. 5 1918.  I am sent to a ship. but mama dont you worry about me.  I will write when ever I can.  I aint got time to write but a few words four I have got to go now so good by mother and all the rest.  W. M. Davis"

Adressed to "Mrs. Fannie Davis, Buffalo Junction Va.  R.F.D. #1"