Sunday, February 24, 2008

Ethel's postcards of Mexican bandits

This looks like a rather gruesome subject for a postcard. The pictures and Ethel's text relate to an incident which took place on March 9, 1916. According to http://mattstodayinhistory.blogspot.com/2007/03/pancho-villa-raids-columbus-new-mexico.html 'Two hours before sunrise, more than 500 Mexican raiders led by Francisco "Pancho" Villa crossed the US border and attacked the small town of Columbus, New Mexico.'




Apart from the history lesson, this gives a helpful fix in time. I don't think we have a date of death for Ethel's father recorded anywhere, but clearly he was still alive in 1916. There is a reference to "when Petsey was little". This implies her son Peter was born some time before 1916. My sister and I remember hearing from Ada that Ethel went out to America with Charlie Chaplin, which would be in 1912. No doubt she spent a bit of time establishing her career before starting a family. And she refers to husband Bob as a New Englander, so presumably she met and married him over there. [Update. Bob appears to have been her second husband. Her first was Leo White.] I would guess Peter was born around 1914 and John some time later.
Further updates:
'Bob' isn't actually mentioned on these postcards. If they were sent soon after the Pancho Villa raid, she would have still been married to Leo.
Migration records show that Ethel travelled to the US via Canada in 1909-1910, see later posts.
Ethel's father James McCann died 24 October 1921
'Peter' must be a nickname. Her elder son's name was Leo Herbert James White. He was born in 1911 or 1912, exact date not traced so far.
Ethel is keen for news of Fred - her brother James Frederick McCann. In 1916 her may well have been on military service.
She sent Jack a little book. This must be John Adam Mackie, son of her sister Ada and the original recipient of the postcards.

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