Evelyn Writes to Grandma – Hametown, PA in 1910

This postcard traveled between two towns in York County, PA in the summer of 1910.

Evelyn was in Hametown, a small community about two miles north of Shrewsbury and due east of Glen Rock in southern York county.

Evelyn reports that she is well and “having a good time”.

Grandma lived in Windsorville (now, Windsor), a community established in 1905 and named for the town in England.

At the time grandma received this postcard, Windsorville and Windsor Township was the center of prosperous cigar manufacturing in York County. Grandma lived about 21 miles from Evelyn.

On this day in July, according to Evelyn, Mama and Aunt Annie are washing.

I believe that Evelyn is still quite young; she has some difficulty using a pen.

Grandma was Mrs. A. F. Boeckel, and the postcard is illustrated by a large, decorated letter “B”.

It was printed in Germany.

Unfortunately, despite many internet references to various persons named Boeckel in York County, I cannot discover any additional information about Grandma.

A reader discovered the following:

Augustus Boekel and his wife Rebecca , were born 1848 and 1850.

In the 1900 census in York county, Augustus and Rebecca had children – Robert, Wilfred , Hearsel, Paul, Karl, and Joseph, living at home.

They were married when he was 19 and she 17. He was a tin smith with his own shop. Rebecca (the “Grandma” who received this postcard) died in Windsor of heart failure in 1913.

Evelyn Boekel was the daughter of William Boekel, son of Augustus and Rebecca.

She never married and lived with her parents into her 40’s.

She taught piano and voice, according to her obituary, and died in 1977 in York.