Fallon House Hotel- Lock Haven, Pa. Cover/Contents+pics!

OK today I'm jazzed about something a fellow S.C.F.'er sent to me today in lieu of a pending trade. It is a letter sent from a would-be business man who is selling some type of machinery to factories/companies and he ended up in Lock Haven Pa. (That's where I go almost every month is L.H..) I have stayed in the Fallon for a small stint about 10 years or so ago. I have always keen on it's architecture and history and this just brings it to life! Thank you 1847Bill!



Front:


Back:


I translated the letter for easier reading the best I could. :

Lock Haven, Pa., Wednesday 1893.

My dear little darling:
My work here is over, (11:00a.m.) I have placed my
first agency- sold one machine- & hope it may prove
good for the company. This is a small place on the
banks of the Susquehanna - Mud & slush up to your
neck. Very Mild- the ride from Williamsport this
morning was very interesting as we skirted the river
all the way up- there are some bad ice jams & if the
break it will make trouble about Williamsport - There
is one jam over 20 feet high about 10 miles above
Williamsport that the people are apprehensive
about.
I do miss you dreadfully already but try to keep a
stiff upper lip - as I am trying to make "pennies" for
you & Dorthy. I leave her at 4:15 for Bellefonte & will
try to get through there tonight if possible. Hope my
dear little daughter keeps well- do go out daily &
get as much exercise as it is possible to do. Hope
Maidie{?} is better. Write to Esther when you can an tell
her I enjoyed her hospitality, & thank them for me.
With love & kisses for dear daughter Dorthy & your
own precious self- & also to the family.
From your devoted husband.-
J. Taylor Skerrett

The letter and cover even look better when you put them up!

The word missing in your translation kisses for ____ daughter is dear. Shame he didn't mention the company.

Yes sadly, there was a few words I couldn't make out but considering his handwriting I think I done reasonably well..lol Thank you for the assistance jobi01. I'm going to do a little genealogy on them and post some history on the Fallon House hotel but I'm actually packing up to go to Lock Haven right now! I'll leave in the morning and will get back Tuesday evening with any luck.

BILL! All I done was just backed them in an S1 Vario sheet and then scanned them.

One correction: The writer of that letter is J. Taylor Skerrett.

Makes me nostalgic for the days when people wrote letters (and loved their families).

K

Made the correction WT1 (thanks) and Kirk, I'd give my left arm to go back to those old days for just a few hours just to see what things was like then.

One question then? If indeed it is an "E" and not an "A", then why does he spell it Skarrett then on every letter?

I STAND CORRECTED. WT1 I am very sorry I ever doubted your information! I just should have known better than that!

He is Joseph Taylor Skerrett, the only son of Rear Admiral Joseph S. Skerrett and Margaret Love Taylor. Very interesting reading on his parents. He didn't turn out quite as well. He spent time away from home working and spending money. His wife pleaded with him to work in the Philadelphia area. She later divorced him. One of the last letters I have from him said he was considering taking a job in South America. I have many hundreds of letters from them. There wasn't anymore after that from him. Their children turned out well and went on to lead successful lives.
His writing style is interesting. I believe he got that from his father. As for me I'm fine with researching the past. Being able to go back into time reminds me of "Back to the future" when Marty McFly went back in time and had his orange vest on. Everyone thought he was in the Navy or merchant marines and he forgot to take off his life vest. I would be a fish out of water. Think how many people back then would trade places with us in the future. I've read enough letters from wives and mothers during wartime and know their suffering. The future is ours to explore and the past is for us to keep.

Thanks Bill. I haven't yet had time to do any proper research on any of these yet. I must go out of town for a few days so getting things around. I agree with your outlook somewhat. I was raised up by my Great Grandmother and even she told me that I was born a century too late! Cellphones still mystify me to an extent..lol

I also got 2 extremely interesting covers from Bill were from an old Hotel called the UPDEGRAFF. underneath that it says "Formerly Hepburn House". These are very historic buildings in the Williamsport area.

I just got home a little bit ago and thought I'd post these pics I took yesterday with my phone for this thread.

The Fallon House, Lock Haven Pa.







The old stagecoach station:

More on the Updegraff Hotel (formerly Hepburn House):

Great photos, I_L_S! For those of us in the south, what is all that white stuff on the roads and trees? I doubt the brick would have been original, any idea when remodeling took place? The wood rafters protruding look original. Very nice pics indeed!

Wow that's impressive info wt1! I really haven't had the time to do any serious research yet due to all the hustle & bustle lately, but I sure do appreciate this!

Bill that "white stuff" is snow. It's cold, heavy and any southerner that wants any is certainly welcome to it!

ILS, in the 1870's a gentleman from New York by the name William Marsh Rice bought a fleet of ships to bring ice from Nova Scotia or Canada to Houston. Mr Rice was a prominent investor and businessman who was a prominent part of the development of Houston and Texas. His short lived scheme to bring the cold stuff down here. His idea evaporated like water.

WT1, that is some interesting information. Imagine how things have changed. The hotel had the first phone booth in town. The Superman character used the phone booths to change out of his normal clothes. Now our children wouldn't know what a phone booth is because they are to busy texting on their cell phone. The term cell phone will be gone from the lexicon as well. IPhones are now the norm and soon they will be gone.
I love history!