The Bourbon family's origins in the United States date back to the 1790s when Andrew (Andre) Boisdore emigrated from France to the U.S. with his family at the age of 12. Andre became a U.S. citizen, worked as a fur trapper, and was a veteran of the War of 1812. He married Mary Salliotte in 1813, and they had 6 children. The eldest, Oliver, was the father and grandfather of the Kansas branch of the Bourbon family. He settled in Darlington, WI in 1843 and married Mary Ann Horner in 1846. By this time, he had added "Bourbon" to his surname Boisdore, though the reason is unknown. Oliver and Mary Ann had seven children, five of whom survived to adulthood. In 1870 the family moved to Beloit, KS which had been named for Beloit, WI.

The postcards of this collection were sent between 1906 and 1907 by a relative of the Beloit Bourbon clan to the sons of Marcus Lafayette Bourbon (1851-1926), eldest son of Oliver Boisdore Bourbon. Marcus' sons were Oliver James (1893-1976) and LeRoy Bourbon (1886-1952). Though the author of the postcards' identity is unclear, signed either as P.B. or Pearl, it is possible that this individual is the child or grandchild of Dr. Oliver Preston Bourbon (1863-1944), Marcus' younger brother. Marcus and Oliver Preston's sister, Sylvia was mentioned in one postcard message.