My 2nd great aunt Ida C. Curry Bedell (1866-1943) was a teacher for most of her life in New York state schools in Cayuga, Tompkins and Broome counties. Born in Aurelius, Cayuga County, New York, Ida is the sister of my maternal 2x great grandmother Katherine “Kate” C. Curry Curtis.
Deborah Jane Tyler Curry, Jennie B. Curry Sinsabaugh, Ida C. Curry Bedell in Ithaca, NY
My mother used to talk about Ida…”Aunt Ida” and would invariably pull out the image of a photograph (circa 1900) of Ida sitting on the porch of her sister Jennie B. Curry Sinsabaugh’s home in Ithaca with Jennie and their mother, Deborah Jane Tyler Curry and Jennie’s daughters Cora and Elsie. At the time, Ida was teaching in Ithaca and living with Jennie and her family and their elderly mother. Three generations and one of my treasured possessions.
Ida was single for a good portion of her adulthood until at the age of 39, she married in 1905 to widower Charles Henry Bedell of Aurelius, Cayuga County, NY.
A few years ago, after I posted a story about Ida, I was sent an image of Ida by a descendant of Charles Bedell and his first wife Frances. The photo was taken when Ida was a young woman. Among the keepsakes that belonged to Ida were some folksy postcards that she had sentimentally kept.
With no telephone (or social media) a plea for eggs on a postcard. How fast did this get resolved?
Eggs gone and I would like more before Sat if possible. Have been repairing the hen house and it disturbed the hens so they are not laying so well and i have not enough of my own for Saturday morning. So if you can not come please send card so I will now.
Hastily
Ella Fowler
Ida’s stepdaughter, Flora Viola Bedell Lasher sent a request for eggs…TWO DOZEN in a 1909 postcard. Evidently Ida had some prolific hens!
Dear Ida
Will you please bring me a couple dozen of eggs next time you come out. Come so you can stay a while. We are all well. Alvin cried for an hour that day. He is all right now. Good by yours Flora
And another plea postmarked September 11, 1907 from Rochester, N.Y. Was K. C. Katherine Deborah Curtis, my grandmother’s sister?
Dear Aunt,
Will you please send me that dress you said I could have. Will pay charges on stage.
K. C.
Ida C. Curry Bedell
It was lovely to hear how beloved Ida was by her step children as evidenced by the fact that they kept her photo and memorabilia. The photograph is lovely to see, of course, but the postcards are what I treasure most.
Ida is buried in Lakeview Cemetery in the Village of Cayuga with her husband Charles and his first wife, Frances Harnden Bedell and just steps away from Ida’s mother and father, Deborah Jane Tyler and Frances J. Curry.
Deborah J. Martin-Plugh
Author, Historian and Genealogical Researcher
© Copyright July 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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