Sentimental Sunday - Holiday from the Past

Merry Christmas!  I like to imagine these are my ancestors hanging their stockings on Christmas Eve!

Those Places Thursday - Methodist Orphanage - Mt. Vernon, IL

This picture postcard postmarked 1946 is the Methodist Children's Home in my hometown, Mt. Vernon, IL.  I remember as a young girl while in grades three and four having a friend from the orphanage; I couldn't really grasp why she lived there, why she couldn't come to my house for sleepovers, etc.  Looking back as an adult I see  this picture and realize how lucky I was to have two parents and a real home.

The orphanage was relocated to this building in 1921 from Creal Springs.

Sunday's Obituary - Daniel W. McGuire - Murfreesboro, TN

Daniel Washington McGuire 

Born: 15 Aug 1869

Died: 9 Jan 1953

Father:  William Henry McGuire

Mother:  Amanda Jane Martin

I have written previously of my 3X great-grandmother, Amanda Martin Sewell McGuire Clifton who has fascinated me for over twenty years.  I have spent much time documenting her life.  One detail I had trouble with was finding the death date and place for her son Daniel W. McGuire from her second marriage to William Henry McGuire.  Several months ago, my distant cousin, Mike Clemmons who writes, Clemmons Family History and is also descended from Amanda contacted me to let me know he was going to the Nashville, TN area and would look for the obituary.  Aren't genealogy cousins great?!?  He was successful and several mysteries were solved.  I had always assumed Daniel's middle name was William after his father, but according to the obituary it is Washington.

According to the 1910 Wilson County, Tn and 1930 Rutherford County, TN he listed his occupation as Chief Engineer Ice Factory.  According to the obituary he worked for the Christy and Huggins Company, and ice company and Coca Cola bottlers for forty-two years.

He was survived by his wife Lucy and two daughters, Mrs. Josephine Patterson and Mrs. Margaret Price.  There was no mention of a son Howard Jefferson McGuire who was born in 1892.

Thanks again Mike!

Egyptian Hospital - Mt. Vernon, IL

This postcard depicts a short-lived hospital from Mt.Vernon from nearly one hundred years ago.  According to Dr. Charles K. Wells, M.D. in his book, "A. History of Hospitals in Jefferson County, Illinois" the Egyptian Hospital was only in operation between the years of 1909 - 1919.¹ It was located in a brick building erected by Mrs. Walter Fly at 106-108 North Eleventh Street.²

It was originally run by Dr. J. W. Hamilton, then eventually taken over by Dr. J. T. Whitlock until 1917 upon the onset of WWI when a number of doctors from Mt. Vernon volunteered to serve with the Armed Forces.  With the failing health of Dr. Whitlock, the hospital was for a short time taken over by Dr. S.A. Thompson until it was turned into the Illinois Hotel sometime before 1920.  It was later torn down and the site became a parking lot.

Sources: 

¹ A History of Hospitals in Jefferson County, Illinois.  Dr. Charles K. Wells, M.D.  1993 Azusa Printing, Mt. Vernon, 62864.

² Mt. Vernon A Pictorial History by Thomas A. Puckett, 1991 G. Bradley Publishing, Inc. United States.