This is Jesse in 1911. He’s a dapper young man with a book in his lap and a pen in his pocket. My guess is he’s a student. This tiny postcard revealed his name on the back.
“Dear Grace, this is a card of Jesse I am sending you. Write me soon.”
Not a clue as to who sent the card of Jesse to Grace though. It was mailed from Whittlesey, Wisc. on January 4th, so perhaps the photo is actually from late 1910. Grace Dibbs, the recipient, lived in New Bethlehem, PA.
Was the card from Jesse’s girl? Heh, sorry.
UPDATE: I couldn’t help it. Grace Dibbs was born in 1889 in Illinois to George and Betsey Dibbs, English immigrants. On the 1910 census they lived in Porter Township, Clarion, PA, and she was 21. She was the oldest of four children, so this card was not from a sister or brother. She married John Killius and lived until 1972. She has several surviving children.
UPDATE 2: This could be Jesse Fishbeck, born in Reed Township, Illinois, which is quite close to where Grace Dibbs was born. If this is “our” Jesse, he married Clara and they had two children. Many thanks to Intense Guy, the fantastic researcher!
Who Were They? 
New Bethlehem is a very small town in Clarion County (not Claring) and is about 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh in the middle of the wilderness (the nearest town of reknown is Punxsutawney – of the February 2 weather predicting ground hog fame.
It would be interesting to know the route this postcard took to get to you. :)
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I wonder too! I bought it here in Southern California. Makes me wonder if Grace moved here at some point.
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What is he reading? A booklet..and a pen is in his pocket..hmm..the first thing that comes into my mind is a racetrack bookie..white tie and all..but he could have been a reporter. This is one of the first old photos that I have seen with a pen in his pocket. Jesses girl LOL:)
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Can I have your email address? (Or can you send it to me?) I have a long shot thought about these two.
It goes like this –
I looked for Jesse (no last name) in Whittlesey, Wi in the census records and got two hits. One of them however is intriguing.
I looked for Grace Dibbs and I think I found her in the 1910 census:
Grace Dibbs
Birth: abt 1889 – Illinois
Residence: 1910 – Porter, Clarion, Pennsylvania (6 miles from New Bethlehem)
Age in 1910: 21
And the intriguing Jesse was b. 14 April 1892 in Illinois. Age in 1910: 18.
Childhood sweethearts? Jesse Fishbeck.. is this you?
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I wonder when the “s” on Dibbs got dropped? I agree, she married Mr. Killius. Her brother John died of a Ruptured Abdom. Artery on 10-10-1961.
Poor Jesse – now if I could determine that he was born in Streetor, Illinois….
:)
http://www.eccles-lesher.org/Cemetery/D.html
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How does this grab ya.
John Fishbeck, born in 1868, Jesse’s father, lived in Reed Township, Will County, Illinois for a while (1880 US census). Reed and Streetor Illinois are within a stones-throw of each other….
John was married twice, first to Lumaden (who was Jesse’s mother – 1900 US census) and then to Sarah in 1910 US census records.
Jesse married Clara, and is shown with 2 children in 1920 US census.
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