Mom's Birthday Party Announcement ~~ Danville Bee ~ July 19, 1939

 

Grandma Letter & Enclosed Article ~~ Postmarked August 21, 1993

 

She wrote:  

Dear Shelby,

Glad to hear from you.  I enjoyed your Mom & Dad's visit last weekend.

They brought me the papers about the tornado.  That sure was terrible.

Harold is having a couple of bad days.  When I ask Ruth, she says "Not so good".

The fair will be here next week (not this coming week).

Did I tell you I have a leaky roof?  The building is supposed to get a new roof in September but several on this floor have leaks.  We are the top floor in our building.  I keep 3 pans down in the bedroom with a towel & plastic under them.  It leaks when it is NOT raining.  It must have a pocket of water somewhere and usually starts to drip in the evening.  The mark on the ceiling is about 36" long and about 20" across.  They have been here twice to try & patch it up but so far no luck. 

Ruth thanks you for your card.  She got so many.

The weather here is  great.  Only in the low 80s.  It is supposed to go down to 50F tonight.  Good sleeping weather.

Well hon, not much news here so take care & give my love to Jack.  Write soon.

Love always,

Grandma

Christmas Greeting From Our Newspaper Carrier ~~ Late 1960s/Early 1970s

Blue Ridge Parkway ~~ Richmond Times-Dispatch Newspaper Clipping ~~ 1990s

 

Virginia Elizabeth Mann Murrell ~~ 100 Years Old ~~ Newspaper Clipping From Danville Bee ~~ May 1, 1941

 

She was Grandma's great-aunt.  The brother referenced in the article was my great great grandfather, James Knox Polk Mann.  

The accompanying articles reads:

"Mrs. Virginia Murrell who lives with her niece, Mrs. Rosa Jones of Danville, is enjoying the rare experience today of celebrating her hundredth birthday.  She is somewhat infirm but her mind is clear and she recollects many things beyond the ken of the average man or woman.  

She was born in Campbell County and was married to Silas Murrell.  She lived part of her life in Detroit, Michigan and came to Danville fourteen years ago.  She was prompted in coming to Danville by reason of the fact that she thought she had a brother living here.  She found him and they talked over all the things that had happened to them for the past half a century for Mrs. Murrell had not seen him for that length of time.  The brother died a few days after meeting his long lost sister and she has continued to reside here.  

Many of her friends dropped in today to shake hands with a real centenarian and to wish her many happy returns of the day."

Virginia Elizabeth Murrell

Born in Campbell County, Va on May 1, 1941

Died in Danville, Va on September 27, 1941 at age 100

Lived in Campbell County, Va, Detroit, MI & Danville, Va

Husband:  Silas Murrell

Daughters:  Ruth & Emma

Father:  Thomas Mann (1802 - 1872)

Mother: Elizabeth Johnson (1805 - 1884)

Burried in Leemont Cemetery, Danville, Va.

Interest Is Renewed In U.S. Silver Dollar ~~ Sunday Call-Chronicle ~~ Allentown, Pa ~~ July 26, 1970

 

After Agnes: A Triumph Over Destruction ~~ Times Leader Newspaper Insert ~~ Wilkes-Barre, Pa ~~ 1982

Uncle Paul (Left) Featured In Newspaper Clipping ~~ 1940s

Uncle Paul ~~ Newspaper Clipping ~~ Late 1940s

Holiday Light Show ~~ Allentown, PA ~~ November 1990

Enclosed in a Grandma letter:

Allentown Morning Call News Clipping ~~ 1990s

Grandma sent me this news item inside a letter.  The world needs more happy news!

Pets in the Workplace ~~ Allentown Morning Call ~~ 1990s

Grandma inserted these two newspaper clippings of pets in the workplace into a letter.

Mom Being Sworn In As Petersurg's Deputy Treasurer ~~ July 1977 (Clipping From The Progress-Index)

The Great Allentown Fair ~~ 1989

Grandma sent me this newspaper clipping showing the entertainment line-up of the Great Allentown Fair in 1989.

The Solitude of Cedar Parkway is Enhanced by a Recent Snowfall - 1990s

Grandma sent this clipping from Allentown's "The Morning Call" to me one winter during the mid 1990s.  She wrote on the side "About 3 blocks from my apt".

Newspaper clipping of Grandma's Allentown neighborhood - 1990

Little Flirt - 1958

Little Flirt belonged to one of Dad's friends (Perk) and her 17 puppies were featured in the Sept. 5, 1958 issue of the Petersburg Progress Index.  He had this newspaper clipping tucked in his sock drawer!

Charles Lindbergh Book - 1929

Like so many young women of her era, my grandmother by her own admission was smitten by and in love with the dashing young Charles Lindbergh!  I found this 1929 newspaper clipping from the New York Times tucked inside of her 1920s prayer book.  

Mom & me donating to March of Dimes - early 1960s

From the Petersburg Progress-Index in the early 1960s: