I love the oldies music and one that brings on thoughts of the warm season of the year is the Jamies’ song, Summertime. Actually, I love the song, but had to look up the group and I’ve never heard of the James! But, I digress.
I am digging deep into my old family photos to share a few that are about 100 years old. First, here are a couple of Dave’s grandmother and great grandmother in Texas:
Pearl Brasher, sitting in a tree with
Aulton Horne, half brother, c1916
This might have been taken when Pearl graduated from Floydada, Texas High School in 1916. I just love this picture, even though it is only about 2 x 3 inches and isn’t terribly sharp and crisp. How many young ladies would be all dressed up to be photographed sitting in a tree?
Ed and Wanda Stufflebean with
Grandmother Minnie Mae Horne
Hillsboro, Texas, c1927
Ed definitely looks ready to go play with the overalls rolled up and bare feet! Minnie was living at 303 North Church Street in Hillsboro, Texas at the time. A quick look at Google Earth shows only Church Street, no north and south. The houses may have been renumbered because I can’t find one that has the two upper windows seen in the background.
Switching gears here, we are now in Maine and this is the oldest photo in today’s group:
Carl Ross, right, with Vernon Adams, c1910
Vernon, my grandfather, looks like he and friend Carl were having a great time playing in the area around Calais, Maine. I have tried to find a Carl Ross, born around 1900, who lived around Calais at that time, but haven’t had any luck. It’s very possible that Carl was Canadian and lived across the river.
Here is another Maine photo, probably taken at one of the lakes in the area around Calais, perhaps Meddybemps Lake. Hazel Coleman Adams, my grandmother, is with her best friend, Clara Dwelley. I think that is my Aunt Barbara in the foreground, so that would place this picture around 1926.
Clara married a man named Forbes sometime between 1930, when she was single and 1940, when she was a widow. It appears she had no children, which is a shame because I would have loved to share this picture with a descendant.
Clara Dwelley with Hazel Coleman Adams
Next, we are making one more big jump in location to Passaic, New Jersey.
Julia Scerbak, 2nd right in top photo
and 2nd left in bottom photo, c1911-1914
Anna Kostecky, one of my Nana’s best friends is the shortest young lady in both pictures. Nana came back to the U.S. in November 1910 and married in September 1915, so this picture was probably taken in the 1911-1914 time period. I have no idea who the other two girls were, but someone was taking a lot of pictures that day because I have several others of one or more of this group.
The foliage in the pictures looks a bit too overgrown to be someone’s yard. I am guessing that they were either enjoying a day somewhere along the Passaic River or perhaps they went to Garrett Mountain, which is not far away.
Although I enjoy summer, I can’t remember a single one that looked quite as idyllic as any of these!
