52 Ancestors #19: Doris Drake and James Hackett

It seems likely that I will never have 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks as I had hoped for this year.  But I always believe that something is better than nothing so here's another post!

James Sends Greetings to Doris

Doris and James on their wedding day

I wrote about James Nelson Hackett previously here.  I even included a copy of the newspaper wedding announcement to Doris Laura Drake.  So I was thrilled when our aunt Dianne Palmer Wetjen showed me a postcard she had from James to Doris written in 1899, less than 2 years before their wedding.

Here is the address side:

One cent for a postcard that traveled from Westline Pennsylvania to East Sharon (see the handwritten note far left referencing McKean which is the likely final destination) Pennsylvania that must have passed through Wellsville, New York.  Though the card is dated 21 December, it is postmarked 22 December and was in Wellsville December 23.  I wonder when it reached Doris?  No street address needed at least!

This is my transcription of the note:

                                                                                                   Dec. 21 1899

                                                                    Westline                                       

Miss Doris L Drake

                                                           Dear Friend:-

I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am still among the land of living & won't be to Smethport before Xmas or rather Saturday. So you can't look for me as soon as you did expect but I will be there in time to have a fine sleighride providing that the weather is suitable for us.

I send my regards to all.  I am the same as ever.

                                                                           J

I find it so sweet that he would reassure her that he was coming and even give her something to look forward to.  It appears that he attempted to cross out the word Xmas to tell her it wouldn't be until Saturday.  Christmas was on a Monday that year so I'm wondering if he was coming later in the holiday week.  He was only about 30 miles away from his hometown of Smethport. I wonder what he was doing in Westline at the time.

Here is a map of the locations including Olean where they were married in August of 1901.

Thanks Dianne for keeping this amazing artifact from 115 years ago!  It makes me think there was a love story here that I wish we knew more about.