Mr. Oliver Riehl lived in Voganville, a very small community in Earl Township – east of Farmersville and north of Groffdale.
John Vogan, the Irish immigrant who built the first house in 1839, also established a brickyard and erected most of the houses nearby.
This life-long bachelor assembled significant real estate and left a unique philanthropic bequest.
(A fascinating biographical sketch is available on-line from LancasterHistory.org)
For his birthday in December of 1908, Oliver received a well-made postcard greeting.
An embossed sailboat, covered with flowers, bears “Birthday Greetings”.
The postcard was sent by Mamie Ream from Aldan, Pennsylvania.
Aldan is a borough in Delaware County, only six miles from Philadelphia.
The postcard would have been much brighter when it was received by Oliver – the elapsed century has caused fading and foxing.
One hopes that Mister Riehl enjoyed the greeting and that he and Mamie remained friends for many years.
I am fairly confident that Mamie erred in addressing the postcard and that this is Oliver Riehl, not Oliver Rhiel. Although both surnames exist in the US, “Riehl” is still found in Lancaster County.
