8 thoughts on “Mail Call, Samoa, 1915”

1. I want to know what they’re reading!

   Elder Mason’s looks good! Is it the Critical Review?

2. I was way off! Upon a closer look I see Physical Culture. And look, it’s been digitized!

   Physical Culture (BSU)

   Physical Culture (UWF)
   Physical Culture (MagazineArt.org)

   I’m still looking for the specific issue, but this is fun.

3. I’m almost positive that elder sitting on the left, H.A. Dean, is Harry A. Dean, a (distant) relative of mine! Harry’s own father is Joseph H. Dean, my 2nd great grandpa, who opened the Samoa Mission in 1888. I’m embarrassed to say that I hadn’t realized that Harry had served there, too! And I’ve only ever seen photos of Harry later in life, so this is great fun to see one of him as a young fella. Thanks!

   Incidentally, Harry was a musician who composed three hymns in the current LDS Hymnal.

4. Eagle-Eye Tod, with his fantastic digital librarian skills! Thanks, Tod.

   David, I looked up your man in the missionary database, and sure enough, he’s there, for the right years. Have I said often enough how exciting it is for me when a friend finds a connection to a Keepa post?

   https://history.lds.org/missionary/individual/harry-arnold-dean-1892?lang=eng

5. And here are the other fellows in the photo:

   • Clyde Moroni Ferrin (October 1914–April 1919)

   • William Munn Mason (January 1914–May 1917)

   • Joseph Garfield Bastow (October 1912–April 1916)

   Thanks to the CHL for their fantastic database which makes such sleuthing so easy!

6. I wasn’t aware of the missionary database. Thanks, Tod and Ardis!

7. Man, those are some long missions. 4-5 years for Elders Ferrin and Bastow.

8. Nice photo! And David Y, we’re second cousins once removed — Joseph H Dean is my third great grandfather. It’s a small world…

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