Dogs for Defense - 1943 - 200th post

I'm leading this one off with the finished image. This is a manila envelope, 8 1/2 " by just over 11", and has a  1 1/2 cent Martha Washington stamp affixed. The stamp is postmarked Grand Central Annex, New York, N. Y. There is no date stamp, but the year is 1943.

This envelope is addressed to Forrest Carville, Burns, Mont. The contents are even more interesting, but I'll get to that in a moment. Forrest & Edna Carville lived Northwest of Burns near Savage. They are listed as being there in 1909, and probably homesteaded, although I don't know if that can be verified. I'm checking on that. There should be property records that would indicate either a 160 Acre homestead, or if they both filed, it could possibly have been 320 Acres. Regardless, they lived there until 1961, when Forrest died. Edna remained until she died in 1991. They had no children. If you don't know what Eastern Montana is or was like, I can tell you: They were pretty isolated, probably 15 or twenty miles from the nearest General Store.

Although the embossed seal in the lower left corner of the certificate is not really visible, I can tell you what it says: Quartermaster General of the U. S. Army, OFFICIAL across the center of the seal, and War Dept. across the bottom. I don't know whether Forrest donated a dog, or if the dog they did donate was named Puppie. I have never seen anything like this, and I found it in an antique shop in Glendive, MT. I paid a whole dollar for it - and didn't open it until I was back home.

This is the other piece of smaller paper that was in the envelope, and it repeats the corner card which appear in the upper left hand corner on the envelope.

I will be offering this at the Western Heritage Artist show during Western Art Week next month, with a portion of the proceeds to support the Montana Wounded Warriors and the Wounded Warriors Project.

I'm hoping that All three pieces will find a new home.