367. Pensacola Children's Xmas Wish List 1915

Updated: Mar 23, 2022

Note the attached Christmas wish list of very young children that were living in Pensacola in 1915. Although some are unique, most of the wishes have a common theme to them. Oddly, nuts, fruit, and candy seems to be a central theme for most. Most of the girls want dolls, carriages, and tea sets while some of the boys wanted cap guns, air rifles, and battleships. But it is interesting to see the "wants" of these children, which were very "few"! This certainly bespeaks of a time when a child's Christmas was smaller and more restricted than they are today. Ironically, several of them were only wishing for five items or so whereas today a child's gifts literally cover the living room floor! So, I took the liberty of looking up some of these kids from 1915 which only proves the fact that human behavior does not change from one generation to the next! Clothes, slang, cars, fads, etc. change, but not human behavior!

Vivian and Florence O'Leary

Dear Santa Clause, I am a little girl and I am only one year old and I want you to bring me a little red chair and a doll and a rattle. That will be all I want this year, good old Santa Clause. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. From you little friend, Vivian O'Leary, of 217 West Zarragossa Street.

Dear Santa Clause, I am a little girl seven years old and I want you to bring me a doll and a tea set and that will be all I want this year besides fruit. From you little friend, Florence O'Leary, 217 West Zarragossa Street.

Background: Vivian and Florene were the daughters of Thomas Joseph Sr. (1878-1955) and Katherine Elizabeth Brown O'Leary (1886-1978). Thomas' father Michael (1839-1912) was born in Ireland well known for his charitable work in Pensacola. He had served the Confederacy with Company "L" of the Texas 1st Cavalry Regiment before settling in Pensacola. He was a county commissioner for a time and passed away at his home at Zarragossa and Devilliers Street. His son Thomas would support his family as a pipefitter at a local shipyard, but by 1940 was a city fireman. At the time this letter was written, the couple had five children; Evelyn O. Gauthreaux (1904-1957), Dollie B. Bushnell (1906-1990), Florence Louise O'Conor (1908-1985), Thomas Joseph Jr. (1911-1987), Vivian Camille Touart (1914-1988), and Katherine "Catty" O. Satterwhite (1922-2017).

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Hughie and Lucius Cobb

Dear Santa, I am a little boy four years old. Please bring me a cap pistol, a battleship, stopper gun, ball, a train a horn, and firecrackers and fruit. Please don't forget my little brother. Thanking you in advance and wishing you a merry Christmas from your little friend, Hughie Cobb, 282 West Government Street.

Dear Santa Claus, I am a little boy two years old. I am a good little boy and fight my brother all day but I love him. Santa, please bring me a ball, wheelbarrow, cap pistol, battleship, horn, some firecrackers, fruit and candy. Wishing you a merry Christmas from your little friend Lucius Cobb, of 282 West Government Street.

Background:

Hugha Francis Jr. "Hughie" (1911-1997) and Lucius Wilmer (1913-1966) are the sons of Hugha Francis Sr. (1890-1971) and Silvia A. Solari Cobb (1889-1959). Their father was a native of Milton and would survive WWI, WWII, and Korea and would retire as a Captain in the US Coast Guard. In 1920, he was supporting his family as a Federal lumber inspector and by 1930 he was a steamboat inspector. By 1940, Hughie was a paint salesman while Lucius was a tabulator for the American National Insurance Company, both living in in Galveston, Texas. And fittingly, both brothers were buried in the Old Catholic Cemetery there as well.

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Henry (Nuncy) and Anthony Mondello

Dearest Santa Claus, I am a little boy four years old. Mama said I have been a very good boy so I am sure you will bring me what I ask. I want an Irish mail, a velocipede, a horn and candy, nuts and fruits. Santa, please don't forget my little brother, Anthony, and all the other little children. Thanking you, I am, your little friend, Henry Mondello. P.S. I wish you a merry Christmas and all the elves that work for you. Dear Santa Claus, I am a little boy one year old, too little to play with big boys, so I will ask you for a horn, ball and a moo cow and some candy. I am your little friend. Anthony A. Mondello

Background:

The name Henry Mondello was misspelled in the Pensacola News Journal as "Henry" rather than Nuncio (Nuncy) Mondello (1912-1982). He was born in Pensacola and was the son of Santo R. (1887-1970) Mondello from Sicilia, Italy and Bridget DiLustro (1895-1954) from Pensacola. His father had immigrated to America in 1909 and was a barber by trade, working most of his life at the Palace Barber Shop. Prior to WWII Nuncy was working for the WPA in the Theisen Building in downtown Pensacola. However, after Pearl Harbor Nuncy enlisted in the US Army and served from 1942 to 1946. He passed away in 1982 and was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery. His little brother Anthony "Tony or Antonio" was born in 1914 and by 1940 was a plumber for the WPA. He would retire from the City Water Department as a serviceman living at 1012 West Zarragossa Street. He passed away in 1983 and was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

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Claudie Moore

Will try to write you and let you know what I want for Christmas. I am a little girl and have no brothers and sisters at home to play with. Please bring a doll that can say mama and papa, a rocky horse, a tricycle, a set of dishes, some candy, fruits and nuts and a little rubber ball. Your little girl, Claudie Moore, R.F.D. #1

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James Adkinson

Dear Santa Claus: I am a little boy, ten years old. I want an air rifle that will shoot birds, and don't forget the shot, and please bring me a pair of gloves. Be sure and big some fireworks and fruits. From your little friend, James Adkinson

Background:

James Howard Adkinson was born in Atmore, Alabama on October 17, 1905, the son of Thomas Levi Adkinson (1875-1938) and Melinda Lagate Bowman (1880-1937). The couple also had three other children; Mabel Sherrer (1903-1991), Mary Clark (1906-1973) , and John Thomas Adkinson (1908-1971). At the time of this Christmas letter Thomas was a ship's carpenter for the Palafox Shipbuilding Company at the Palafox Wharf. By 1930, Thomas was working on his dairy farm but he had purchased his own home without a mortgage. By 1942, James had married Edna Lillian Keyser and was living at 2111 North Whaley Avenue and working for the Realty Corporation of Pensacola at 200 South Palafox Street. James would pass away in 1981 and was buried in the Bayview Cemetery.

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Clarence Clarke

Dear Santa Claus, I want you to bring me a rubber tired velocipede and an overcoat, and a big pretty ball and some ties and a cap pistol and some fireworks and all kind of nuts and some oranges and some candy. From your friend, Clarence Clarke and don't you forget my little sister and brother.

Background:

Clarence Benjamin Clarke was born in Pensacola on February 1, 1908, the son of Ben L. Clarke (1882-1946) and Rosa (1885-1956). The remaining children were: Alma E. McGraw (1910-1999), Benjamin F. (1913-1976), Manettie Robbins Souza (1917-2005), and Charles Albert (1921-1986). At the time he was born his father was working as a bookkeeper and they were living with his paternal grandparents. By 1920, they had purchased a home at 267 East Gregory Street free of mortgage while he was still working as a timekeeper. By 1942, Clarence had become a clerk for the NI Corporation with his own wife and living with his parents at 259 East Gregory Street. Sadly, Clarence passed away in 1947 and was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery.

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Velma Blanchard

Dear Santa Claus, please bring me a doll, a carriage, a tea set, a stove and a horn. Wishing you a merry Christmas I am, your little friend, Velma Blanchard.

Background:

None available

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