Today I dug into a box and picked up an envelope from Yowell & Williams, State Agents, Union Central Life Insurance Company, Under Capitol Hotel, Little Rock, Ark. It wasn't addressed to anyone but it had a few things inside which means to me it was personally hand carried and hand delivered to the recipient.
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| The Yellow Kid |
On the back of the envelope is an odd little metal figure who Kent immediately identified as
"The Yellow Kid". Kent's a fountain of trivia like that but for me, I had to google it and discovered he was a cartoon character that ran from 1895 - 1898 in the New York World and later in the New York Journal. I don't know if he was supposed to be stuck to the back of the envelope or if it was put on later or perhaps it was something that just accidentally stuck to the paper. I do think he's ugly!
Inside the envelope I found a calling card, a train ticket, and a lock of hair.
The calling card reads "Miss Minnie Cowden Yowell" and on the back is written:
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Back side of Minnie's
calling card |
"Do you remember the 5 July 1897? I do. Dream of the girl that's still in the swing/ring. You ought to have been here at the wedding."
I don't know what happened July 5 1897 but I know that Fannie Moran and James Ezzell were married on Oct. 19, 1897 and that the train ticket for Minnie Yowell expired October 30, 1897 and it's a ticket going from Nashville to Dresden. Perhaps Minnie was attending Fannie's wedding.
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| Minnie's Train Ticket |
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| Back of Minnie's train ticket. |
This is the backside of the envelope and you can see where the Yellow Kid is attached. I also used the envelope as the backdrop for the enclosed lock of hair tied with a pale pink or lavender ribbon.
I don't know if Minnie was a distant cousin or just a close friend but I did a bit of research and found the following information.
Minnie Cowden Yowell was born in 1876 to
Joel George Washington Yowell and Elizabeth Prudence Rector. Minnie Cowden Yowell married Robert Leathan Lund August 16 1899 in Washington County Arkansas. They had at least four children: Robert Leathan Lund Jr., Jowel Yowell Lund, William Rector Lund and Dorothy Talbot Lund. Minnie and Robert moved to St. Louis and are listed in the 1933 city directory where Robert was the executive vice president/treasurer of the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company.
Minnie died in 1953 and Robert followed her to the grave in 1957. According to family tree's they both died in St. Louis Missouri.
If you're really interested in Minnie's lineage I found her sister, Mamie Snow Yowell Ledbetter, listed in volume 46 of the
Lineage Book- National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Updated September 19, 2013
I came across another letter today from Minnie Yowell to Harrell Moran.
The envelope is dated June 16 1897:
My dear Mr. Moran: Ida asked me to let you know when I passed through Nashville. She thought that perhaps you would like to go down to Dresden as I do. I arrived last evening and will leave to-morrow (17th) at 3 o'clock.
I am stopping at Mrs. Matthews no. 400 Belmont ave. would be glad to see you sometime. Perhaps we ?could table? it over and you will go down to Dresden as I do.
In haste
Your friend
Minnie Yowell
