The Monday Club Cook Book

In the front of this book, in childish cursive handwriting, it says, "To Mamma, from Lester." We researched local "Lester"s of the time who would fit this profile, as well as matching with the handwritten recipes inside, as well as the denomination of Presbyterian.

To the best of our research, we believe this cookbook once belonged to Mrs. G.W. Lounsberry. Her name was Laura May Sherman Lounsberry. She married George W. Lounsberry, and they had two boys: Mervyn and Lester. This book was published in 1899, locally, by the Monday Club of the Presbyterian Church (of which Laura is listed as being a member). Lester would have been 14 in 1899.

Various family information: lived on 15th Street and Jerome. G.W. worked as a railroad agent and then for the city as a clerk and water commissioner. G.W. shares his recipe for "Yankee Doughnuts" in two cookbooks in this archive. Laura was secretary for the Fern Chapter of the Masonic Lodge, and had a mother named "Minna" and a sister named "Minnie."

There are a few handwritten recipes included in this book. There is "Florence's Grape Juice," "Mrs. Trayers Prune Conserves," and "Mrs. Swift's Orange Cake." Then, there are three recipes from Minna/Mina: p.138, Minna's Boiled Mustard and in the back: Mina's Pickled Prunes and Mina's Cream Pudding. With two Minna's related to Laura - it makes since these are from either Lester's maternal grandma or his Aunt Minnie Dunbar.

Lester graduates Astoria High School in 1903. We have a photograph of him and his locally well-known friends: Arthur Van Dusen, Harry Freeman, and Grover Utzinger. His name appears in a few newspaper clippings as either being a guest at parties, or a host. 

Lester marries Zella Taylor, and became widowed early in 1929 when his wife and a son "Ben" died in childbirth. He was living in Seaside at the time of his death in 1964.