Welcome to Baby Marcellus – Galesburg, Illinois (1922)

Mrs. S. J. Myers was the Superintendent of the Cradle Roll at the United Brethren Church of Galesburg, Illinois.

Galesburg is a city in Knox County of northwest Illinois. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galesburg,_Illinois

Galesburg was founded by abolitionists and organized around the provision of education in the trades that was pioneered in the communitarian society in Oneida, New York.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communitarianism

We have seen other postcards related to the Cradle Roll, a feature of many Protestant Churches in which very young children were enrolled in the fellowship of the church community.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/creating-a-community-crad_b_78994

In September of 1922, Mrs. Myers prepared a birthday greeting for Marcellus Wilkins.

Unfortunately, the postcard was not mailed; it may have been given to the baby or his parents at the church.

A photograph of a baby, copyright in 1901, adorns the face of the postcard.

The cute picture is accompanied by a verse invoking a life of joy for the child and the blessings of God for the little one on a road to Heaven.

The postcard was printed in June of 1911 by the International Church Supply Company of Columbus, Ohio.

Alert readers will notice that there is no address on the postcard.

A scan of census information in the United States shows a Marcellus M Wilkins born in Galesburg, Illinois in September of 1921.

I can find no other name that would be consistent with the dates of the Cradle Roll card.

(An uncommon first name is a huge help in locating persons.)

Thus, I am confident that this congratulatory postcard was presented on the first Birthday of Marcellus.

Additionally, the Faith United Methodist Church of Galesburg was a member of the United Brethren denomination in 1922.

Marcellus died in 1998 at age 77 and is buried in Galesburg.

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