The Nankin Township Historical Society

Detroit Free Press , July 30, 1939 Channing Pollock, the playwright and critic, wasn't from Detroit but had obviously passed through town via the Pere Marquette Railroad en route from Chicago to the east coast where he lived to have known about Wayne Junction. As such, he included a mention of it in this short story entitled 13 at Table . Of course, there is also a Wayne Junction in Philadelphia which is the more likely scenario for the story but until it's proven not to be the Wayne, Michigan location the chances are 50/50 that it is.

Bought this Faygo Mixer India Express Quinine Water 6 pack cardboard case at an estate sale in Livonia a few years back and this receipt from September 10, 1971 fell out of it when I opened it. It says that the Samhat Bros. Market was at 27222 Grand River where Billy's Liquor currently resides a few doors west of the now defunct Salvation Army store. I had never heard of either the store or that Faygo "flavor" before.  Ironically, I sold this carton at least 10 times on eBay at the beginning of the Covid scare because people thought it was actual quinine. I on;y caught wind of this fact when somebody offered to buy every case that I had. When I explained that the case was vintage and contained nothing they were mortally wounded and asked for a refund. Each time I re-lisred it after explaining that it was merely a vintage carton and not bottles of quinine I added more descriptions such as NO BOTTLES, NO QUININE JUST A VINTAGE CARDBOARD CARRIER but panicked people continued...

Another of my John King Books ephemeral finds and by far the best and most historic. It's a condolence note from Sister Mary Borgia of the St. Joseph's Retreat in Dearborn (at present day Michigan Ave. & Outer Drive) to a Mrs. Reiger from March 11, 1921.  Sister Borgia, born Catherine Farrell in Ireland in 1840, died of pneumonia less than a year later and is buried at Mt. Olivet under the name Sister Mary Borgia Farrell.  She came to retreat in 1885, two years after the institution incorporated from the original name of Michigan State Retreat, as its administrator, a capacity which she held until her death. Built in 1860 it was Michigan's first private insane asylum. As with most institutions of its ilk it segued into a hospital and sanitarium.  In the note Borgia tells Reiger that her brother died peacefully and fully conscious during his last moments. His clothing was donated to the paupers of the institution.

Since I know nothing about the First Methodist Church of Wayne (at Main and Newberry Street) I figured that Mercedes Wittersheim would be an easy enough name to gather some information on. Nary a mention in Google searches. Anyway, it's a 74-year-old recital program and it only cost me 50 cents.

In this reactionary age it's probably poor methodology to ascribe political motivation to every single act of a candidate but such is the climate that one is made or broken by unwavering scrutiny.  Judge George T. Martin wouldn't have made it to the starting gate with this campaign bill backed with a facsimile of a Confederate $10 note on the obverse.  Seemingly, he was a Dearborn judge during the reign of Orville Hubbard, double the strike against him, before winning election to the Wayne County Circuit Court.  I bet you the Dearborn Historical Society probably wouldn't even accept this as a donation. I have four of them so I should test that theory out.

'Tis the Season and since this blog isn't primarily about Nankin Township, but merely focused on it, I sometimes delve into the greater picture of the Detroit metropolitan area. Here is another example of such. I snagged this Farm Crest Bakery Holiday Fruit Cake sign-up card from an estate sale in Dearborn Heights back in November for basically nothing. There was a second one but it was ripped in half with one side missing. There were also a few stubby pencils with their logo but there doesn't seem to be a clamor for Farm Crest ephemera.  Farm Crest was located in a large warehouse building on the west side of Russell Street in Detroit across the street from American Car and Foundry. This link shows part of the building.

I've had this envelope addressed to Halloween Schultz, then a resident of Plymouth, Michigan in 1984, for some time now but always just assumed that it was a pet name. Nope. It was her legitimate married named. Her maiden name was Jernigan and Myrtle was her momma (she spells it moma in the birthday cards within). Since the date is in October I wonder if she was either expected to be born on Halloween or actually was. I know one thing, she was divorced from Mr. Schultz on Halloween Day, 1956. Oddly enough, there are about 50 other people named Halloween listed on Find-A-Grave. The Kansas City Times , November 1, 1956