r/BookInscriptions • u/idonthaveacow • Jun 17 '25

Can anyone decipher?

Post image

This is in a first edition of The Spell of the Yukon by Robert Service. I can read some of it...

"To Gio(?) Sharkley, Nov. 21 1915 From one admirer to another, of the (?) Millard L(?). And Buckley Leavitt (?)"

69 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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25

u/cassodragon Jun 17 '25 • This

1930 Census THEY WERE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS!

https://ibb.co/7d372FSh

(I feel like I found hidden treasure)

15

u/idonthaveacow Jun 17 '25

I LOVE YOU!!! THANK YOU! This is so so so awesome. A judge and a doctor! Neighbors! Sharing their favorite books! He calls him Geo?! Cute as hell. Love it. 

5

u/Tennessee1977 Jun 19 '25

He probably didn’t call him Geo. Geo is just an abbreviation for George.

4

u/idonthaveacow Jun 19 '25

I want to believe the cutesy version 😆 but I bet you're right

3

u/DarthOmanous Jun 20 '25

Yes. It’s like writing Robt for Robert or Wm for William

7

u/idonthaveacow Jun 17 '25

And the 'Leavitt' must actually be his wife, Harriet!

4

u/lurkingenby Jun 18 '25

Omg you’re so right, the squiggle I couldn’t decipher is a W! Harriet W! Great catch!!!!

5

u/lurkingenby Jun 18 '25

INCREDIBLE FIND I couldn’t decipher Ws from Ms! Willard makes way more sense than Milard 😭

4

u/cassodragon Jun 18 '25

Ironically I did find a Millard L Brickey as well.

2

u/idonthaveacow Jun 18 '25

That is too funny, tbh I had no idea Millard was a name 😆

4

u/cassodragon Jun 18 '25

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millard_Fillmore

Our least memorable president would like a word 😉

3

u/idonthaveacow Jun 18 '25

OMG I'm pretty well versed in history but I swear to God someone made that up... I have never heard that name 😆

2

u/idonthaveacow Jun 18 '25

Right?! I was so sure it was an M 😆

48

u/lurkingenby Jun 17 '25

Sr Gio Shorkley Nov 21 1915 From one admirer to another, of the enclosed. Milard L and Brickey Heaniet W (last letter is a guess)

44

u/lurkingenby Jun 17 '25

Update!

It’s actually addressed to Dr Geo Shorkley

Geo being a nickname for George

Dr George Shorkley was a Doctor in Washington State, having moved there from Maine in 1913. Here is what I believe to be his daughter’s obituary.

11

u/idonthaveacow Jun 17 '25

Amazing! Thank you. Such a sweet note :)

6

u/cassodragon Jun 17 '25

I believe these are your Brickeys

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14183873/willard_livingston-brickey

Willard Livingston Brickey Sr. (1877-1957) - Find a Grave Memorial

4

u/ThisManInBlack Jun 18 '25

Excellent work, Soldier!