Tom AHERN, Los Angeles, CA, 1909-1915, Postcards & Photos
At a moving sale in Grand Rapids, MI, I recently acquired an early postcard album chock full of 173 vintage postcards from primarily 1908-1915, with some as recent as 1928.This album seems to have originally belonged to TOM AHERN OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.It is a blend of holiday, photograph and many regional view type postcards, primarily in California (Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco, Venice and others...).I have already begun eBaying off lots of these postcards in groupings or solo according to subject or locale.To find my auctions, go to eBAY ADVANCED SEARCH and search on my seller name, PENUMBRA-UNIQUES, to see my various auctions.Most do not reference Tom Ahern in the title line of the auction, but all the postcards, with the exception of one lot, are from his postcard album, and will state so in the body of the listings.A number of photo postcards of individuals will be listed in groups tonight, Sunday, July 16th, 2006, and will be running for a week.
Among the photo postcards are many of individuals.Most are not labeled, but some are.There is one of a group of 4 men, labeled on the back JOHNNY, TOM, PHILIP, JEAN AHERN.Because of the family resemblance, I would gather they were brothers.Using this photo as a Rosetta Stone, I note there are at least one other photo each of Johnny and Jean Ahern.There are many, many of TOM AHERN.From the stories on the backs of the picture postcards, I gather that Tom Ahern had a wife, EDNA, and a son, TOMMY.It appears he was estranged from her as one postcard talks of divorce.There are several photo postcards of Edna as well as what might very well be a picture of Tommy.There is also mention on a few postcards of Tom Ahern’s “sisters”, but I have no names to go with them.Some of the female photo postcards could well be them.I don’t know.Tom Ahern seems to have moved around a fair amount as his address seems to change quite a lot.He lived in several different locations in LA, as well as in different towns in CA.I don’t know what his profession was.
If this is your family, here is an opportunity to recapture some of your heritage.As a fellow genealogist, as well as an antique dealer, I sincerely hope a family member sees this posting!