{"id":56125,"date":"2020-02-10T14:05:14","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T19:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=56125"},"modified":"2020-02-12T14:41:56","modified_gmt":"2020-02-12T19:41:56","slug":"valentine-puzzles-and-other-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/valentine-puzzles-and-other-activities.html","title":{"rendered":"Valentine Puzzles and Other Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak provides some fun for Valentine\u2019s Day by searching old newspapers for Valentine ciphers and puzzles. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.<\/em><\/p>\n

Nowadays the word of the day seems to be cyber, as in cybersecurity \u2013 but back in the day (by that I mean over 100 years ago), the word of the day was cipher. Although they have different meanings, both have to do with security and secrecy.<\/p>\n

Anyone wishing to keep something secret would create a cipher code, whether it was for criminal purposes or to dodge the watchful eyes of a chaperon.<\/p>\n

A Cipher Valentine Encounter<\/strong><\/p>\n

Can you figure out the secret message in this notice from the Evening Nonpareil<\/em> of 11 February 1911?<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa), 11 February 1911, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clever girl! On the one hand, the message says the young lady wished to borrow one of the eight volumes of the Spectator<\/em> \u2013 but on the other hand, she very clearly is giving a message to her sweetheart. Though her parents failed to see it, her sharp-eyes beau realized the only important part of the message were the words in all caps: \u201cI shall be alone at eight this evening. Don\u2019t fail to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Story of Edward\u2019s Cipher Valentine<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the more famous accounts was a Valentine story written in 1901, about Edward Weld\u2019s Valentine cipher.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield, Illinois), 10 February 1901, page 13<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Edward\u2019s sister Alice had married John Shepard, who was careless with the couple\u2019s money, made bad investments, and nearly ruined them. Edward came visiting to bail his sister out by giving her $6,250 \u2013 a large sum in 1901. However, Alice wasn\u2019t home, and while John was occupied in the barn, Edward disappeared in the house presumably to hide the money where John couldn\u2019t find it.<\/p>\n

Edward left two envelopes for his sister so that she could find the money. One had a note, and the other was a Valentine with a message scrawled on the back. Sadly, both Edward and Alice died before she could read the messages and recover the money. Although the house was searched 50 times, the money was never found.<\/p>\n

Fourteen years later, Edward\u2019s son Frank finally solved the mystery and found the money. Can you solve Edward\u2019s cipher?<\/p>\n

Here is the note Edward left in the first envelope:<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Alice \u2013 Your business done. Money put away in this house. Writing hastily at desk in library. Uncle\u2019s waiting in barn for me. Cipher in valentine tells you the place. The same trick we have used several times before. \u2013Edward.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Valentine in the other envelope had this message written on the back, including this strange numbering system:<\/p>\n

\u201c(1) Flash of gold in Cupid\u2019s eye<\/p>\n

(2) Sends his sharpest darts awry<\/p>\n

(3) In these modern days.<\/p>\n

(4) He doth know where dollars bide<\/p>\n

(5) Better than where true hearts hide;<\/p>\n

Sad these modern ways. (6)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a love that\u2019s new and old, (1)<\/p>\n

(2) Takes no thought of minted gold<\/p>\n

E\u2019enin these bad days; (3)<\/p>\n

Trust a brother\u2019s steadfast faith (4)<\/p>\n

(5) Dear as life and strong as death;<\/p>\n

Guide in troublous ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Curious? Look up the article in GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a> to solve the mystery. Or, if you\u2019re determined to figure it out yourself, here\u2019s a clue: the Valentine message is a red herring. The real cipher is in the note; therein lies the mystery of where the money was hidden.<\/p>\n

Ideas for Valentine\u2019s Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make the old new again by using old newspapers to inspire this year\u2019s Valentine\u2019s Day gifts.<\/p>\n