Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to
share family history through old photographs.
This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt is the apron. If the numbers of photos are any indication, my
grandaunt Helen Killeen Parker must have had wonderful memories of summers
spent at Ocean View between 1918 and 1920.
An apron is not the typical garb for the beach, but the age-old symbol
of domestic life is present in three pictures that always evoke the same
response from me.
This one makes me laugh because
of the caption written on autographic film:
 |
| "The whole darn family" |
This one makes me wonder:
Mrs. ? For a long time I tried to make it say “Mrs.
Walsh” in the hopes of seeing my great-grandmother or her mother-in-law, my
great-great grandmother. However, based
on the next photo, I gave up on that idea.
Now I simply wonder who she was and what baby she was holding. |
| "Momma Ollice & the gang" |
This one makes me want to drop
everything and spend time on Ancestry.com
Momma Ollice. Who? My best GUESS, based on the apparent age of
this aproned woman, is that she was the GRANDMOTHER of the WOMAN who married the oldest SON of Helen’s COUSIN Matthew Glynn, son of the SISTER of Helen's FATHER.
That would mean also that Momma Ollice was the GREAT-GRANDMOTHER of the girl who sang
at my wedding.
How’s that for connecting the “whole
darn family”?
I’m cutting the apron strings and sending you off to
Sepia Saturday for more stories and photos about aprons.
©
2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
It's fascinating but no matter who they are they are still remembered with love and affection.
ReplyDeleteThat first one makes me smile, too!
ReplyDeleteAnd that is a well chosen and humorous post title!
ReplyDeleteMy mother always wore an apron and every time I put one on I think of her. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteHandsome looking aproned ladies. Always makes me smile to read about Helen Killeen Parker. Enjoyed the post. Best regards, Helen Killeen Bauch McHargue
ReplyDeleteLove the dog in the second shot!
ReplyDeleteWendy - the white-on-black captions in the lower margins of the first two snapshots were created with the feature available on Autographic cameras - are these the ones you referred to way back in March when commenting on an article I wrote for SS169? If so, I'd very much like to use them in a follow up article some time, if I may - I'll contact you by email as well.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to dig out my old photos....
ReplyDeleteTGIF!
I guess they must have worn those aprons wherever they were. The aprons don't look like they would help much on the beach where the bottom part of the skirt, most likely to get dirty, isn't covered.
ReplyDeleteThe foggy focus of your whole dang photos resembles the mist I see with my glasses off. Connecting the dots with such distant ancestors doesn't always reveal a recognizable picture, but if someone in the family saved it, then you are still preserving a memory no matter how unclear.
ReplyDelete"whole darn family" How adorable! Is that a goat or something on the "Mrs. Walsh" photo?
ReplyDeleteHazel
As ever, Wendy you co.me up with some wonderful titles and phrases. I enjoyed your post. .
ReplyDeleteVery punny title! Momma Ollice looks a lot happier in the last picture than the first; perhaps she preferred ‘the gang’ to ‘the whole darn family’.
ReplyDeleteDelightful photos. Times have changed. I seldom wear an apron, and never out of my kitchen. Ha
ReplyDeleteThe last picture with the two girls in bathing attire is the one that made me smile.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of her identity, she definitely came straight from the 'beach house kitchen' still wearing her apron for the photo of the 'whole darn family'....I like your title better. LOL!!! I'm often caught in my apron when my whole FamDamily get together....everyone congregates in the kitchen. Yep, I can just imagine you jumping right over to ancestry to get the scoop on the 'Apron Lady'. Fun photos.
ReplyDeleteSue CollectInTexas Gal
Mrs. Apron doesn't look that happy to be surrounded by the whole darn family.
ReplyDeleteI do so agree. Some old family photos just make you want to drop everything and rush over to Ancestor and start digging.
ReplyDeleteSimply enjoyable, both the vintage photos and your comments. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI love your convoluted explanation of the relationship of Momma Ollice! Priceless!
ReplyDeleteFun post, Wendy. My favorite photo of the three is the first, specifically because the lady back right is (or at least looks!) pregnant -- and we very rarely see pregnant ladies in photographs of that time period.
ReplyDelete