Sometime around 1914, a young man had a photographic portrait made.
Alas, the postcard photograph lacks any indication of location or date.
On the reverse, some thoughtful soul has written:
“(this) is Leland Olmstead” and “Joe Peat’s pal”.
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On the face, we see that our hero has a confident expression.
He has not removed his straw “boater”, so he appears as though he might be walking out as soon as the photograph is made.
I admire his three-button jacket – a style which has come in and out of fashion more than once in the century since Leland wore it.
His shirt collar is high and stiff – the uncomfortable custom of the early 20th century.
We cannot see his shoes.
The striped tie is the only personal touch; the youth wears no jewelry.
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Only because his name is unusual, and linked to several historical figures, I initiated a nation-wide genealogical search for Leland Olmstead.
Using the database of “Family Search”, the genealogical resource of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I found what I believe to be the person in the photograph.
It is, however, a family history that lacks conclusive links to this postcard.
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/KN3P-K72
RESEARCH NOTES
On October 16, 1894, Leland Harold Olmstead was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
He was the son of Luke Olmstead (1869-1932) and Mabel Cranmer Olmstead (1876-1915).
The marriage of Luke and Mabel was recorded in Kalamazoo in 1893.
Leland had one sibling, a younger sister “Marie”.
Both parents were born in Michigan, although Luke was also known as “Louis” and Mabel also used the name “Mabelle”.
Leland registered for the Draft in 1917, although he does not appear to have been called up – possibly because he was married in Grand Rapids that year to Ruth A. Stebbins (1897-1934).
Leland and Ruth had two sons.
Three years after Ruth’s death, Leland married Banigna Gacka (1909-1998) in Ottawa, Ohio in 1937.
By this time, Leland was living near Detroit, Michigan, where he died in April of 1973 at age 74.
Leland is buried with his first and second wives in a family plot in Kalamazoo Michigan.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25866425/leland-h-olmstead
