SepiaSaturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old
photographs.
This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt reminded me of the
tongue-in-cheek compliment paid to a woman sitting between two men: You’re a rose between two thorns. But in keeping with the photo prompt, I present a
collection of thorns between roses.
My great aunt Helen Killeen Parker on the right with two co-workers (taken between 1918-1920)
My great grandmother Mary Frances Jollett Davis with her brother-in-law and sister, Jack and Emma Jollett Coleman in April 1929. Mary Frances had become a grandmother for the second time just a few months before.
My great aunt Velma and her husband Woody Woodring and great aunt Violetta Davis Ryan April 1929 - walking across river rocks in dress shoes! Crazy kids ~
Grandparents: Lucille Rucker Davis, Fred and Julia Walsh Slade. Granddaddy was used to being surrounded by women as he was the chauffeur for Granny and her sisters.
My sister, husband, and me at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg soon after it first opened -- This "tintype" photo is sure to confuse any future descendents.
Finally the ultimate thorn between two roses:
 |
| Jollett United Methodist Church Cemetery Page County, Virginia |
Here lies Hiram Frank Meadows (1849-1911), along with his two wives: Mary E. V. Jollett (1854-1901 - 1st cousin 3X removed) and Margaret Hurt (1859-1905).
For more parties of three, visit Sepia Saturday.
©2014, Wendy
Mathias. All rights reserved.
Your husband looks like a dangerous man on the tintype. He may leave the wrong impression for future descendents.
ReplyDeleteBut you certainly have nice collection of pictures for this inverted prompt!
Thanks. I'll tell my husband what you said -- he'll take it as a compliment!
DeleteWhat a great collection of photos, from the old to the "sort of old" to the newer. And I love the play on words, "thorn between roses."
ReplyDeleteThanks -- my first thought was "menage a trois" but I didn't want people to be disappointed. HA!
DeleteHoly Moly! Great finds, Wendy. In the one where they are crossing the river all dressed up, I needed to enlarge the picture to make sure that Velma wasn't holding some exotic creature. The picture of you, your hubby and your sis is so cute. It is too bad that Hiram was widowed twice in such a short period of time.
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
Yeah, I keep trying to figure out what Velma has on too -- I guess it's one of those fox things where one animal is biting the tail of the one ahead of it.
DeleteA very clever inverted prompt. You husband at Busch Gardens looks as if he is from the cast of 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.'
ReplyDeleteThanks! Close -- he has 4 brothers!
DeleteWendy, a fantastic collection of "thorns" between roses. I do so admire your old photos. Yes, you are right the tintype might confuse some later, it looks authentic of another century. You might have to date the picture.
ReplyDeleteAlong with dating the "tintype," I must tell a story with it so that no one thinks we were in a cult!
DeleteI love your theme! I think you're right: that "tintype" is sure to confuse future descendants. Ha!
ReplyDeleteThank-ya ma'am! Let's hope future descendants can tell the difference!
DeleteHi Wendy, new follower. Well, I guess it just proves you can't have a rose without the thorns.... Thanks!
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You're right about that!
DeleteWendy, love your roses and thorns pics! And wow! Even a tombstone pic that fits the theme. Interesting how it says "First Wife" under Mary Jollett's name.
ReplyDeleteThe "tin type" of you guys is so fun! I bet it was a hoot getting all dressed up for that photo. And you look so cute in your bonnet!
Thanks Jana - I strive to be cute. The tombstone picture was the first one I thought of. You can tell the second family must have provided the tombstone because they apparently didn't know Mary's dates.
DeleteA great collection of photos, even unto the grave. I do like your aunts on the river, where else would you want to take a photo, LOL. Have heels will travel.
ReplyDeleteThat's right -- nothing more dramatic than standing in heels in the river.
DeleteGreat photos, i hadnt thought about using 3 as a theme, it works really well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so literal that I couldn't think of anything else. I've been enjoying everyone's take on the theme.
DeleteAh, great spin on this theme!!
ReplyDeleteMuch loved your comment about Velma and Co's pic, but my fave may be Lucille's 1920 pic. Something about it simply speaks to me.
Good quote, even if I sense an innuendo...
:)~
HUGZ
I like the 1920 pic of my grandmother Lucille too because I see how pretty she was as a young girl/woman.
DeleteInnuendo? Calm down, Ticklebear!
Yeah, yeah, try feigning ignorance...
Delete;)~
I liked your "trio" theme - and especially your title!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteOur expression is: De deugd gaat in het midden (The virtue is in the middle). This reminds me of the time I was a school teacher on a small school with three teachers. During the monitoring walk at the schoolyard, I always walked in the middle of three and the other two were always having man-talk over my head. Rather annoying! Your three-some's look more happy and having fun.
ReplyDelete"The virtue is in the middle" is certainly true for you walking between students!
DeleteOh what fun things and most charming "fun" family photos you have for us with this theme. I have some Parker relatives too. My grandmother remarried a man named John Parker....they were from Michigan and New York I believe! Great post Wendy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice compliment.
DeleteWendy I loved this 'thorny subject. How on earth did you find so many trios - i was really struggling? The last one is both funny and poignant at the same time
ReplyDeleteThe last one is my favorite. In fact, it was the one I thought of first, and then I had to rummage through boxes for the others. I was surprised too at how many I have.
DeleteThat picture of you sister and husband threw me for a few minutes. I just love those kinds of photographs. Great post. Nice twist.
ReplyDeleteQMM
My husband's hair and moustache and my sister's and my lack of makeup certainly add to the "authenticity."
DeleteI think the second one down with Lillian and boyfriend and friend is my favorite. Looks like they just stopped what they were doing and had a picture snapped.
ReplyDeleteEspecially the 2nd woman - she seems to be wearing an apron.
DeleteI'm surprised V & V's mother wasn't there fusing about those shoes and the river.
ReplyDeleteI have another tintype picture of Cam and me at Busch Gardens. I look like I have a black eye-now there will be some real confusion!
Great post girl!
And that raises a good question -- who took that picture?
DeleteMy friend Carla (Queen Bee at www.beeskneesdaily.com) is experiencing a problem commenting. She emailed me this message:
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post and I love your "thorn between roses" theme, how clever! Enjoyed seeing the photo of your great-aunts wearing their cloche hats. They were taking a chance out on the river rocks wearing their Sunday best. You've posted a great collection of family photos.
Have you changed the color of your webpage? I like the blue and think it's a nice background for your posts, they show up well. The color also contrasts nicely with the beige wallpaper/pattern.
I am using the teal blue throughout September for Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. The pink ribbon for breast cancer is always recognizable, but most people don't know much about ovarian cancer or that TEAL is the ribbon color. My mother died from ovarian cancer, so every year I do my little part to help educate others about the symptoms.
DeleteWhat a montage of trios! An inspired post with a laugh at the end.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found the humor in that tombstone because that's how I intended it.
DeleteThat headstone is a real kicker! Just "first wife" with nothing else. Oh, there has to be a story there.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wonder at what point someone thought of the idea to bury the 3 together. Hiram died last so maybe when wife #2 died, he thought of it, I don't know. But obviously that tombstone had to be the work of the second family who didn't know Mary E.V.'s dates of birth and death.
Delete