The Wilkins Family
by David Barth
written December 8, 2000
This story was developed solely by looking at Christmas cards of the Wilkins family, sent to their friends over a period of approximately twenty years. Nearly all
of the cards are undated. If some of the assumptions drawn by this story are incorrect, apologies to the Wilkins family. In any event, this is an attempt to formulate
a story of the Wilkins family from the early forties to the late fifties, based on their Christmas cards. The cards were obtained from a printer, Pete Moser, who worked
for the company that, apparently, printed the Wilkins' family Christmas cards. Pete and his wife passed away in 1984, and that is when the some of their books
were bequeathed to me, along with the Wilkins' cards. During this time, apparently, from the cards, the Wilkins family ran a sheep ranch in Broomfield, Colorado,
Hacienda Rustone. During the later years, the cards show a family airplane used to take vacations. It was a twin-engine Beech 18. I estimated the year of each
Christmas card based on the few dated cards and the approximate ages of the children shown in the photographs. I never met any the Wilkins family members,
and I never expect to. In any case, this is their story through their Christmas cards.
Christmas Card, 1941 (undated)
What I guess is the first card, undated, with "Season's Greetings," and Russell Wilkins' cattle brand, the letters "RW," connected, was probably made around 1941.
The picture inside the attractive, red cover, is affixed to the cover by a white cord and shows "Hacienda Rustone," on a sign above a ranch gate, below which are several
dozen black faced sheep.
The names printed are "Rusty" (the eldest son, who may have been named "Russell, Jr.," after his father, and nicknamed "Rusty"), "Tony" (the second son), "Mother"
(apparently, the children's paternal grandmother), "Lillian" (probably, the two boy's mother), and their father, "Russell."
The picture of the sheep at the ranch gate, looks like flat ranch land with no visible mountains or hills in the background. This is the only Christmas card in the
collection that mentions "Mother," although she is probably shown in the 1942 Christmas card.
Christmas Card, 1942 (undated)
The next card, presumably, the second in the series, says, "Greetings from The Wilkins" with the name "Glendora" which, from the photographs inside,
appears to be a resort. The seven unlabeled photographs are displayed on pages, like a picture album, secured to the cover by a red cord.
The first picture shows Russell leaning on a walkside railing beside a woman we assume is his wife, Lillian. Both are wearing western clothing including cowboy
hats and boots.
The second shows a row of stone steps down to a quiet pond. The third shows an older woman whom we assume is the grandmother, wearing a long, forties style
long dress, hat, and shawl.
The next photo shows the boys, Rusty (about five years old) and Tony (about three), wearing swimsuits. A badminton net is in the background.
Another photo of the boys shows them feeding ducks beside a lake.
The following picture shows people on horseback, perhaps Russell and Lillian.
The last photo shows a secluded cabin next to a stream. In the side yard is a horse. Horses played a predominate role in the Wilkins' family activities.
Christmas Card, 1943
The next card, dated "1943," has "Christmas" and "The Wilkins Family" on the cover. Cutouts in the cover show the faces of the boys. A corner photo on the
cover shows sheep grazing with Mt. Moran, Wyoming, in the distance. Inside is a photograph, affixed to the cover by a red ribbon, showing Rusty (about six) and
Tony (about four) on Shetland ponies.
Printed on the back of the envelope is a logo consisting of a rendering of the ranch gate shown in the 1941 card with the head of a sheep in a circle beneath the
gate. The wording on each side of the gate says, "Hacienda Rustone," and below it, "Broomfield, Colorado." There are three examples of this card.
Christmas Card, 1944
The card dated "1944" has "Merry Christmas" and "The Wilkins Family" on the cover. Inside is a photograph of Grand Teton, Wyoming, with three crosses in the
foreground and the caption, "The Tetons as seen from the Altar. Church of the Transfiguration, Moose, Wyoming." There are two examples of this card.
Christmas Card, 1945
The next card, dated "1945," of which there are two examples, has the wording on the cover, "Seasons Greetings" and "The Wilkins." Also on the cover is a
mysterious photograph which gives the reader the message that Grandmother has died. It is a picture of lilies with a circular inset picture of an old woman, in the
lower left.
Inside are three pictures. One is of the Tetons. Another shows Russell with the two boys, Rusty (about eight) and Tony (about six) beside an old wagon and a
horse. They are dressed in western clothes, wearing cowboy hats. Lillian is not with them.
The final photograph suggests the death of Lillian. The photograph is of a lone tree on a mountainside with an inset picture of a woman on a horse in the lower
left.
It appears from this card that 1945 dealt a severe blow to the family as both the grandmother and the mother died. The father and the two boys are all that are left
of the Wilkins family.
Christmas Card, 1946
It appears that no card was made in this year, understandable in light of the previous years traumatic events.
Christmas Card, 1947 (undated)
This card has a photograph of the Maroon Bells on the cover and the inscription "Christmas." When opened, a 1 1/2 inch star pops up from the fold. Inside is a
picture of Russell, and, apparently, his new wife, "Mona," (an assumption based on the name "Mona" in future cards).
Russell and Mona are on horseback, on each side of the boys, also on horses. Rusty appears to be about ten years old and Tony, about eight. Russell and the
boys are wearing cowboy hats, but Mona is hatless, with curly hair. Behind their horses is a herd of cattle. It seems that the family has traded sheep ranching for
cattle ranching, and moved to Contact, Nevada, as indicated by the back of the envelope. There are three examples of this card.
Christmas Card, 1948 (undated)
The cover of this undated card shows the Tetons and has the words, "Greetings of the Season." Inside is a photograph of a Twin Beech B18 aircraft, taken from the
air. It is flying over Jackson Lake with the Tetons in the background. The caption: "Over Jackson Hole, 'The Beech,' NC80201."
Written on the inside is:
"The Wilkins Family
Russ
Moni
Rusty
Tony
David
David, the new member of our Family and all of us, wish you well throughout the New Year and all the years ahead."
Christmas Card, 1949 (undated)
The cover of this undated card has the words "Holiday Wishes" and "The Wilkins'." Inside are three photos. The first, without a caption, shows Mona, Russell,
and, between them, the two boys, Rusty, about eleven, and Tony, about nine.
The second picture shows a child around a year old playing with a telephone receiver at a desk, with the caption, "David phones greetings to all of you from all
of us."
The third photo shows a different, more elaborate ranch gate with "Casa Moni" on the sign. It is confusing that the sign says "Casa Moni" and not "Casa Mona."
We don't know the significance of the name "Moni."
Below the sign are the five Wilkins. The two older boys are seated on the front bumper of a jeep, holding rifles. On each side of them are Mona and Russell.
Sitting on the hood of the jeep is David. The caption reads,
3 Deer
2 Hours
_________
5 Wilkins
There are two examples of this card.
Christmas Card, 1950 (undated)
The cover of this undated card shows a photo of Russell and the two boys, Rusty and Tony, tending a herd of about 55 horses surrounded by one rope tied to
sticks to form a one rope corral. The caption reads:
"Range horses in our cavy
Some quite temperamental
With plenty of cow savvy
And none are too gentle
Yet all have respect for a rope corral."
Inside is a photo of youngest son, David, about 1 1/2 years old, in a playpen, wearing a cowboy hat, captioned, "David . . . The outstanding yearling at the
Wilkins Ranch."
Also, the wording:
"Greetings of the Season
The Wilkins
Moni [Is this a typographical error? Should it be "Mona?" On one of the three cards, the notation "N.G." (for "no good?") was penciled at the top. Perhaps this
supports the supposition that her name is misspelled in this card.]
"Russ [Russell's nickname]
Rusty
Tony
David"
There are three of these cards. The back of the envelope has the return address: "Wilkins, Contact, Nevada".
Christmas Card, 1951 (undated)
The next card, also undated, shows two horse shoes, side by side to form the letter "W," and the letters "i," "l," "k," "i," "n," and "s" in the six nail holes of the
inside legs of the "W." At the top is the greeting, "Good Luck from all six of us."
A new son has been born to the family. John's picture, inside the card shows that he is less than a year old. His father, Russ, is holding him and has an arm
around David, who appears to be about three years old. Russ, wearing a shirt with his ranch's "RW" brand, appears to be about age fifty in this picture.
The second of three pictures shows Mona, sitting between the older boys, in a speedboat that appears to be running fast on Jackson Lake. Rusty appears to
be about fourteen and Tony, about twelve.
The last photo shows Rusty on a horse, and is captioned, "Rusty aboard Sandbowl, two young winners in the making."
Christmas Card, 1952 (undated)
This card has a cutout on the cover with the ranch sign, "Casa Moni," showing through and the caption, "Wilkins Greetings."
Inside are four photographs. The first, "Tony on Du Du," shows Tony roping a calf from horseback.
The second shows John standing in a crib, wearing a cowboy hat, much as his older brother did in the 1950 card. The caption says, "Baby John, a Yearling, on
His Own Two Feet."
The third shows Rusty on horseback, roping a calf at a rodeo, with the caption, "Rusty on Sandbowl."
The last photo shows David on a horse, "Roany," at the ranch gate, below the sign, "Casa Moni."
The verbiage says:
"Greetings and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year
Mona
Russ
Rusty
Tony
David
Baby John"
There are two examples of this card. The printing on the back of the envelope says, "Casa Moni, Wilkins, Nevada". Apparently the Wilkins family has had the
town near their ranch named "Wilkins."
Christmas Card, 1953
It appears that Russ died sometime in 1953 because the cover of this card shows a one storey house that appears to be their new home, in a residential area,
with no caption. The photograph inside shows Mona and the four boys, taken on the porch. Russ is not in the card.
This card is dated "1953," and is inscribed, "We, the Wilkins, wish you A Merry Christmas, A Happy New Year". Included is a small picture of the light post
in front of the house with the number "999" on it, denoting a change of residence.
Christmas Card, 1954 (undated)
This undated card has the words, "Merry Christmas," on the cover with a cutout that shows the cross on the top of a church. Inside is a picture of a secluded
church in the snow, surrounded by trees.
The other photo shows the four boys. The wording reads:
"Tony
David
John
Rusty
Mona"
Christmas Card, 1955
This card is the smallest in the collection, measuring 4" by 6". The cover has "Holiday Greetings" and the names:
"John
David
Tony
Rusty
Mona"
There are three examples of this card.
Christmas Card, 1956 (undated)
This undated card has a photo of a mountainscape with a pine tree. Inside it has a greeting, the first letter of each sentence spelling out the "Wilkins"
name:
"It's Christmas.
We
In the good old tradition, would
Love to drop in and say "Hi!" But
Know you will have an
Ideal Christmas and a Wonderful
New Year
Season's Greetings"
The signatures of Tony, Rusty, Mona, David, and John are on the inside. There are three of these cards.
Christmas Card, 1957 (undated)
The cover of this card shows two pine trees leaning at a 45 degree angle across a stream with snow on the ground and mountains in the background.
Inside is a standard seasonal greeting and the names:
Rusty
Tony
David
John
Mona
There are two of these cards. They are the last in the collection, and the end of this saga of the Wilkins family. It was an interesting research project to
discover the Wilkins family and follow this segment in their lives through these cards.