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Canafornian

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Posted: 14 Jan 2017

Taken: 14 Jan 2017

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miami •
postcard •
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morden •
godkin •

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MN1120 MIAMI - [PORTRAIT OF DAPPER MAN IN WICKER CHAIR]

MN1120 MIAMI - [PORTRAIT OF DAPPER MAN IN WICKER CHAIR]
POSTCARD

Date: Posted May 3, 1909. From Mary Godkin to Mrs. Jas A. Webster in Witmer, Ontario

Publisher / Photographer: Mrs. T. Godkin.

Notation:

Women photographers were rare in 1909. I was surprised to see this portrait postcard decoratively embossed with "Mrs. T. Godkin, Maimi, Manitoba".

Surprisingly, the note on the reverse is signed "Mary Godkin". Mrs. Godkin writes; "This is Harry Godkin. He was married the 8 of March." Harry Godkin aka Thomas Henry Godkin, it turns out, is the son of Mary and her husband Thomas. Harry, born in 1883, married to Laura Etta Duval and living in Cutknife, SK. The couple had a daughter in 1910 - Mary Anita Ferne Godkin.

So far, I haven't been able to find any historical reference to Mrs. Godkin in Miami, but I have found several references to her in Morden, Manitoba in Census reports from 1901, 1906, & 1916. It appears that her maiden name was Mary Ann Ady. I could find no reference to her having a photography business or living in Miami, but Miami is only 30 km from Morden and her husband Thomas was apparently buried there.

On Ancestry.com, I discovered a photo of Thomas & Mary, below.

17.01.14 THOMAS & MARY GODKIN

I also discovered this photo of Harry - apparently taken in the same studio as my picture:

17.01.14 HENRY GODKIN
Comments
 wintorbos
wintorbos club
It's possible that it's not a photography studio stamp but rather the sort of stamp that people have for embossing their name in their books. But I'm not at all certain. There is no reference to her in the Winnipeg Tribune, although the surname "Godkin" appears a lot because there was a store by that name in St. James.
7 years ago.
 Canafornian
Canafornian club
I wasn't aware of the stationary embossing stamps. That is a likely explanation.
7 years ago.

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