Postcard Collection of Charles “Charley” Schwien

The following postcards were kept in photograph albums belonging to my grandfather, Charles Schwien, for almost 130 years.

For more information the Schwien family Scott County Ancestors: Schwien Family Collection and Scott County Friends of Charles “Charley” Schwien

Contributed by Julie Mathisen Nagle, granddaughter of Charles Schwien.

It is thought that the following postcards were pictures taken in Scott County, perhaps by Liberty Township area where the Schwien family farm was located. The back of several of these cards were blank.

Farmer with cattle

Farmer wearing a
German-style sweater and hat.

Three women by farm pond.

Post cards of families by their homes

The postcard above had a message writen in German. Maybe someone is able to read it?

Christmas card to my grandpa, Charlie Schwien. He was born in 1867 and went through all his schooling in Liberty Township. A Scott County Atlas from that era shows a country school about a mile and a half from the Schwien farm.

B. (Baldwin) Atherton is found living with his family in Blue Grass in the 1860 and 1870 Federal Census. His occupation was that of a teacher. In the 1880 census his family was living in Avery, Humboldt Co, IA

This postcard, with the picture of 6 women, was mailed from Davenport, Scott County on October 18, 1909. It was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schwien of Sutherland, O'Brien Co. IA. The woman sitting on the left is Dora Schwien Meinert. She was the daughter of Rudolph and Carolina [Lena] Schwien of Liberty Township, Scott Co. She married Harry Meinert. They retired in Davenport after years of farming in Scott Co. Their son, Orvil Meinert, also farmed near Walcott in Scott County.

The fourth woman from the right in the white blouse and dark skirt is Laura Trojan Schwien, wife of Charles Schwien. The others in the picture are unknown.

This is a photo of 7 young children gathered in a yard. It is thought that one of the two youngest is Henry Schwien. Henry was the son of Charles and Laura Trojahn Schwien born in July 1908, in O'Brien County. This post card was mailed from Davenport, post marked October 18, 1909, to Mr. & Mrs. Charles Schwien.

Page created by Lynn McCleary, July 6, 2017

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