More Cool Stuff from Joan

OK so I'm spoiled.  In May, I won a giveway of a beautiful box of cards, Chaska sent me a package of goodies and now Joan delivered a package to me while she is in town visiting her sister.  Wow, it's been a great month.  I really feel like I need to give back or pass it on or something to keep all the positive energy going.

In the cool stuff from Joan are two very old scrapbooks.  The scrapbook with the blue cover has a beautifully penned inscription in brown ink Irene E. Van Billiard from Uncle Frank Christmas 1885.

This scrapbook has large thin cardboard embossed girls inside.  The scrapbook with the brown cover has a date of  March 1876 on the back cover.  It has an interesting assortment of cards, some are calling cards from the memorial service for Mrs. Kreamer. I would like to share her obituary that I found on the back cover of the scrapbook - I was quite taken by the thoughtful writing.

"Joined the eternal host. It becomes our painful duty this week to announce the death of Mrs. Jesse Kreamer, a well-known and esteemed resident of Millheim, which occurred at her home on Water street on last Sunday afternoon at about four o'clock.  She fell a victim to the prevailing malady, la grippe, and took her bed only a few days before her demise.  Pneumonia, a frequent complication of the grip, was the direct cause of her death.  Her age was 56 years and a few weeks.  She was born in Union county, her maiden name being Blackford.  In her early life she was married to John Hoover, and soon after made her home in this place.  Charles Hoover, Mrs. Annie Seitz and Mrs. Maggie Hauck are the three living children to her first husband.  The union with her second husband was blest with four children, Robert, Turbet, Rose and Eva, who survive their deceased parent.  By the death of Mrs. Kreamer, the afflicted husband and the bereaved family suffer an irreparable loss, in so far as she was a devoted wife and faithful helpmate, and a very kind and affectionate mother.  The sympathy of the whole community is with them in their hour of grief.  The writer and family mourn the kind lady's death as neighbors with whom she had much pleasant intercourse and at whose house she spend many an hour in social chat, always proving herself a woman of good common sense and kind heart.   Most of her life was spent in hard work, but her spare time was aways devoted to reading good literature, her favorite pastime.

Deceased was a consistent member of the M. E. church for quite a number of years, and the funeral services yesterday forenoon were held there, conducted by her pastor, Rev. Shoemaker, who was assisted by Rev. Wolf, of the Lutheran church.  The remains were interred in the Union cemetery.  Although the weather was very inclement and many people unable to go out on account of sickness, the obsequies were largely attended." 1892