Caylor-Howser Postcard Collection 1898-1975

Access and use

Location of collection:
Thomas Balch Library
Thomas Balch Library
208 West Market Street
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Alexandra S. Gressitt
Phone: (703) 737-7195
Fax: (703) 737-7195

Summary

Creator:
Elliott Lee Harper
Abstract:
This collection consists of 285 items, primarily postcards. The bulk of the collection, contains postcards received mainly by Priscilla LeFevre and John A. Caylor, although some were received by Cora Caylor Howser. The families used postcards primarily as a mode of correspondence.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of 285 items, primarily postcards. It is divided into series by correspondents (family, friends, business, and unposted), after which it is arranged chronologically.

Series 1, the bulk of the collection, contains postcards received mainly by Priscilla LeFevre and John A. Caylor, although some were received by Cora Caylor Howser. The families used postcards primarily as a mode of correspondence. Two of Priscilla's sisters, Arabella "Belle" LeFevre Jenkins (born ca. 1865) and Martina "Tena" LeFevre Edmondson (born ca. 1868), both of whom resided in Washington, D.C., sent her postcards, as did Arabella's daughters Virgie (born 1894), Viola (born 1896) and Rachael (born ca. 1905). John's sister, Anna Caylor Ritter (later Calhoun, born 1872), corresponded with John.

Series 2 consists of postcards received by friends and later added to the collection by family.

Series 3 contains cards from businesses.

Series 4 is unposted postcards.

In addition to the value of the correspondence, postcards in this collection capture the diversity of postcards from the early 20th century. They include: eighty-seven geographical postcards, fifty Christmas postcards, thirty-five Easter postcards, twenty Thanksgiving postcards, sixteen birthday postcards, eight postcards with animal themes, seven Valentine's Day postcards, five New Year postcards, five commercial postcards, five family pictures, four humorous postcards, three postcards commemorating special events, two Independence Day postcards, one Halloween postcard, and a birth announcement.

Biographical / historical:

Priscilla Ann LeFevre (1847-1933) was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, the eldest of Henry S. (ca. 1824-1892) and Sarah Woody "Sallie" Hammerly LeFevre's (1827-1899) ten children. The family, totaling four sons and six daughters, resided near the Belmont post office, where LeFevre farmed. By 1870, he worked as a foreman on the railroad near the Farmwell post office.

John Alexander Caylor (1851-1921) was born in Indiana to Virginia-born James William Caylor (1827-1911) and Nancy Coons Caylor (1832-1885). Prior to 1870, the family returned to Loudoun County.

Priscilla and John married 18 July 1870 in Loudoun County. They had nine children, four sons and five daughters: Theodore Luer (1872-1949), Ella May (1874-1932), Cora Corene (1876-1953), Marion Foster (1878-1966), Milton Edward (1880-1966), Nettie Otley (1883-1886), Veava Eva (1889-1897) and Adolphus Woody (1891-1970). After her husband's death, Priscilla lived with her daughter Cora near Leesburg. The Caylors are buried at Ashburn Presbyterian Church.

According to census records, John A. Caylor's profession varied. In 1880 and 1920, he was a railroad employee for what later became the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. In 1900, he appears as a day laborer and a carpenter in 1910. In 1874, Caylor was working in Loudoun County as a carpenter, where he built a stone farm house for his wife's uncles, John (1829-1903) and Samuel (1828-1904). At the time, had a net worth of $38, which was considered modest by contemporary standards. The LeFevre family named the farm "Hillside." It remained in the LeFevre family until 1916; the subsequent owner used the property as a dairy farm. The stone farm house still stands today in Broadlands. Priscilla Caylor appears as a homemaker in census records.

Cora Corene, Priscilla and John Caylor's daughter, was born in Belmont, lived near Waterford and in Leesburg, but eventually settled in Ashburn. In 1897 she married William H. Howser (1870-1947), a farmer. They had fourteen children. Cora was a member of the Ashburn Baptist Church. Upon her death in 1953, her property and belongings were sold by her children Priscilla "Masie" (1913-1987) and John (1898-1972), who had been named executors of her estate. At the time of her death, she had 77 descendents, including forty-one grandchildren and twenty-two great grandchildren. The postcard collection was inherited by Priscilla, Priscilla LeFevre Caylor's namesake.

Acquisition information:
Elliott Lee Harper, Ashburn, VA
Arrangement:

The collection is divided into series by correspondents (family, friends, business, and unposted), after which it is arranged chronologically.